WVCTU Action Alerts

The WVCTU Marcellus Shale Committee is actively monitoring the day to day changes in this growing activity and the policy surrounding it. Please check back to wvtu.org often to keep up to date on what you can do to influence the shaping of regulations for this largely unregulated drilling and how it can have tremendous impact on our coldwater resources. WVCTU recently joined forces with the Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation - a collection of sportsmen's groups from across the mid-Atlantic dealing with the understanding of how Marcellus Shale drilling is affecting our fish and wildlife and how we might collectively influence policy to conserve these resources. Other members of the Alliance include, but are not limited to: Quality Deer Management Association, New York State Trappers Association, NY Trout Unlimited, PA Trout Unlimited, Izaak Walton League of America, New Jersey Trout Unlimited, Mid-Atlantic Trout Unlimited, Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, Penn Forest Coalition, The Wildlife Society and others.

For information on how Marcellus Shale drilling affects our fish and wildlife click here.

For information on Policy Recommendations by the Sportsmen's Alliance click here.

If you would like to include photographs of Marcellus Shale drilling sites in your correspondance with your delegates, senators or other policy makers you may find photos taken by WVCTU members of these sites on our Flickr site. Feel free to use these photos in your correspondance and educational materials in raising awareness of how this activity will affect our unique headwater resources.

Flickr page containing Marcellus Shale drilling photos on Big Laurel of Cherry River near Richwood at the Mead-Westvaco Native Brook Trout Adventure area. The photos show the 10" pump lines that, if operated according to the calculations of our engineers, could potentially dewater the stream depending on flow.

Bills for Regulation of Marcellus Shale Drilling will be coming in the next WV legislative session unless a Special Session is called before that time. Please check back often for updates regarding this matter.

In the meantime, you should continue to contact your representatives and senators.

You can find who your representatives are by going to the WV Legislature website at:

http://www.legis.state.wv.us/

Enter your zip code in the "Who's My Legislator?" box.

Call or email your legislators this year to let them know that you are a sportsman and are 
concerned about what impacts this drilling may have on our streams.

Ongoing Concerns

Slatyfork Wastewater
Treatment Facility

WVCTU is working in cooperation with other conservation organizations to seek protections for the upper Elk River trout fishery under a proposed regional wastewater treatment facillity for the Slatyfork area. Click here for the latest updates, including research results, documents and letters to agencies.

(06/16/06) FONSI Response from DEP Agency's response to public comments regarding the FONSI available online

(01/23/07) Eight Rivers Safe Development, Inc. filed a formal complaint against the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection on December 21, 2006.

The complaint outlines Eight Rivers Safe Development's position that WVDEP's "issuance of a FONSI and failure to prepare an EIS, was not, and is not, in accordance with the law and rules of the State of West Virginia, including without limitation, CSR § 47-31-1, et seq., and CSR § 47-31-6.2, incorporating, 40 CFR, Part 6, Subparts A - E, and otherwise was and is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and contrary to and violative of the law and rules of the State of West Virginia."

Dredging

Ernie Nester and the dredging committee have compiled a landmark document outlining WVTU's position on stream dredging, flooding and tree cutting on streambanks. This document, which includes a resolution passed by WVTU regarding dredging practices, should be very useful to chapters and others concerned with the negative impacts of dredging. Click here to view the position paper in PDF format.

In Fall 2007 the Dredging Committee produced a powerpoint presentation on dredging available to anyone who wants to use it. To download the presentation, right click here and click "save as".

Law Enforcement

The joint TU/DNR Law Enforcement task force has made great progress by educating anglers on the methods of reporting violations. Click here to read about how you can help DNR Law Enforcement by reporting any fish and/or game violations you witness in the field (opens in new window).

Stocking over natives

The WVCTU Fisheries Management committee recently completed a position paper regarding the practice of stocking over native trout populations in the Mountain State. Click here to view the paper online.