This morning I watched the local news station, WSAZ. They were excitedly announcing that they were live streaming the hearings for the Charleston West Virginia Water Crisis. Republican Representative Shelley Moore Capito will give the introduction and Senator Jay Rockefeller will also speak. Shelley is running for Jay's seat, and is heavily favored. I am supporting Natalie Tennant (currently Secretary of State) and Natalie is really leading on the water issues. Shelley was in Congress voting to strip EPA of ability to respond to crises like this on the day the spill occurred, and has been underwhelming in her initial response.
Here is the WSAZ website- they will have a link to the live stream at 9:00. I will be in class, but I will see if I can I can update it after class. http://www.wsaz.com/...
Tune in if you can, and update folks on the hearing. I am teaching and doing research with my students all day but will pop in to hear from your updates. The Freedom Industries guys won't be there but West Virginia American Water will be answering questions as well as various state response agencies. WSAZ did some independent testing that looked clean, but the schools are still having high levels in their water. http://www.wsaz.com/...
Rockefeller has issued this statement:
"Industry will resist any new regulations or stronger enforcement measures. It’s an isolated incident in West Virginia, they will argue. Agencies in charge of oversight do not need more resources, some will claim. In fact, Republicans have purposely sought to starve certain agencies of funding so they cannot do their job adequately. We continue to pay a price for this cynical strategy.”
“Over thirty years, I have heard these complaints all too often from chemical companies, coal operators, railroads – really too many industries to name. We can no longer trade the public’s health and welfare for industry profits. As we have seen in West Virginia, when you cannot drink the water, not much else matters. Not much business gets done. The long-term economic damage from this crisis is almost immeasurable and the breach of trust seems irreparable.”
link
West Virginians are finally getting fed up with the lack of clean water and mad at being told one thing and then another about the safety of our water. Over in Kentucky, Ashland area has been having boil water alerts and water shutdowns for tens of thousands because of crumbling infrastructure in the freezing temperatures. This is a big deal here.