Suggested Readings for January 2022

November – December 2021 MOVCA Selected Media Postings

Compiled by Cindy Taylor

Appearing online in The Parkersburg News and Sentinel:

November, 8, 2021 Opinion by Thomas Minney and Beth Wheatley, The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia

“Op-ed: Climate solution is economic opportunity for West Virginia”

https://www.newsandsentinel.com/opinion/local-columns/2021/11/op-ed-climate-solution-is-economic-opportunity-for-west-virginia/

Appearing on-line in the Charleston Gazette-Mail:

December 22, 2021 Energy and Environment article by Mike Tony

“Federal audit finds Department of Energy at risk of wasting funds on carbon capture and storage projects”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/federal-audit-finds-department-of-energy-at-risk-of-wasting-funds-on-carbon-capture-and/article_c33d7977-d771-584b-9100-ee6030b0b7ca.html

December 20, 2021 Op-Ed by Eric Engle

“ Eric Engle: Manchin is in it for the money and attention”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_commentaries/eric-engle-manchin-is-in-it-for-the-money-and-attention-opinion/article_5cb07175-95fe-5463-8cbe-d9bcc7b8653b.html

December 13, 2021 Op-Ed by Gary Zuckett, executive director of the West Virginia Citizen Action Group

“Gary Zuckett: We need to build back bolder”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_commentaries/gary-zuckett-we-need-to-build-back-bolder-opinion/article_e9fb314e-a0ab-595a-afcb-22402ec80a92.html

December 13, 2021 Op-Ed by Eric Engle

“Eric Engle: The space between what’s legal and what’s ethical”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_commentaries/eric-engle-the-space-between-whats-legal-and-whats-ethical-opinion/article_d4839748-a9df-5a90-8bdf-1e5e075b0c6a.html

December 8, 2021     Op-Ed by Perry Bryant, one of the founders of West Virginia Climate Alliance

“Perry Bryant: Why methane fee in Build Back Better is vital”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_commentaries/perry-bryant-why-a-methane-fee-in-build-back-better-is-vital-opinion/article_2064a14d-a1b9-5541-8dc0-e0f7e7ef2018.html

December 7, 2021 Energy and Environment article by Mike Tony

“State officials want to learn more about forest carbon offsets set up through California carbon cap-and-trade program”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/state-officials-want-to-learn-more-about-forest-carbon-offsets-set-up-through-california-carbon/article_ac9c4c52-22f1-53c4-ac22-922931b4b7a4.html

December  2, 2021    Energy and Environment News article by Mike Tony

“Proponent: Build Back Better bill designed to incentivize clean energy transition and jobs as WV lags behind”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/proponent-build-back-better-bill-designed-to-incentivize-clean-energy-transition-and-jobs-as-wv/article_7c7034d5-499d-50fc-9a3b-804caf09228d.html

November 30, 2021    Column by Autumn Long, project manager for the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund

“Autumn Long: WV is going solar, but we can do more”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_commentaries/autumn-long-wv-is-going-solar-but-can-do-more-opinion/article_b9916af4-8361-57a8-92f4-f2ed5434eb71.html

November 23 , 2021 Op-Ed by Jim Probst, Hamlin, WV, state coordinator of WV Citizens’ Climate Lobby

“Jim Probst: Manchin must live by his words”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_commentaries/jim-probst-manchin-must-live-by-his-words-opinion/article_916314c4-e8df-52ec-991f-68e825823a1d.html

November 23, 2021 Energy and Environment Article by Mike Tony

“FirstEnergy subsidiaries seek approval to build five utility-scale solar projects in West Virginia

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/firstenergy-subsidiaries-seek-approval-to-build-five-utility-scale-solar-projects-in-west-virginia/article_46671974-8a10-5298-8988-3f63e328bc34.html

November 18, 2021 Energy and Environment Article by Mike Tony

“Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition board votes to dissolve organization amid stalled negotiations with union”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/ohio-valley-environmental-coalition-board-votes-to-dissolve-organization-amid-stalled-negotiations-with-union/article_2c86a2ac-e718-5c07-af53-7f99e6746889.html

November 14, 2021 Distributed by The Associated Press. First appeared in The Houston Chronicle

“Guest editorial: The young bear an unfair burden on climate”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/editorial/guest-editorial-the-young-bear-an-unfair-burden-on-climate/article_59b40a94-0e60-57e3-a86c-325ca0a75091.html

November 12, 2021 Energy and Environment Article by Mike Tony

“West Virginia-led challenge to EPA authority to regulate power plant emissions threatens climate policy, administrative agencies”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/west-virginia-led-challenge-to-epa-authority-to-regulate-power-plant-emissions-threatens-climate-policy/article_68d112bc-a161-57bf-83b3-93a492f2f469.html

November 8, 2021 Energy and Environment Article by Mike Tony

“New solar finance fund available for central Appalachia”

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/new-solar-finance-fund-available-for-central-appalachia/article_917de53e-1fa8-5671-b34e-708e4b88bc13.html

Available online at Appalachian Solar Finance Fund:

 Application for The Appalachian Solar Finance Fund (SFF) : https://solarfinancefund.org

 News and Updates (with link to Nov. 4, 2021 webinar)  https://solarfinancefund.org/index.php/news/ 

Appearing in The Dominion Post (Morgantown):

November 22, 2021 Article by David Beard

“Mon Power/Potomac Edison plan five solar plants to produce 50 mw of power; largest would be Mon County”

Mon Power/Potomac Edison plan five solar plants to produce 50 mw of power; largest would be in Mon County

Appearing on-line in The Bargain Hunter (Weekly news magazine serving Ohio Counties: Holmes, Tuscarawas, Wayne, and the surrounding area. Stark, Medina, Summit and Cuyahoga):

December 29, 2021 Column by Randi Pokladnik

“Fracking affects the Muskingum Watershed”

https://thebargainhunter.com/news/col-randi-pokladnik/fracking-affects-the-muskingum-watershed

November 16, 2021 Column by Randi Pokladnik

“Toxic compounds we should avoid”

https://thebargainhunter.com/news/col-randi-pokladnik/toxic-compounds-we-should-avoid

Available from West Virginia Rivers:

December  2021 Article by Morgan King, WV Rivers Climate Campaign Coordinator

“Building Power through Grassroot Climate Activism”

Building Power through Grassroot Climate Activism

Available from ReImagine Appalachia https://reimagineappalachia.org :  

December 16, 2021 Article by Stephen Herzenberg

“Appalachia Needs Build Back Better, the Climate Infrastructure, Jobs and Workforce Support Package”

Appalachia Needs Build Back Better, the Climate Infrastructure, Jobs and Workforce Support Package

November 8, 2021 Article by Stephen Herzenberg and Jessica Arriens

“To Realize Our ReImagined Appalachia, We MUST Pass the Build Back Better Act – Here’s Why-“

To Realize Our ReImagined Appalachia, We MUST Pass the Build Back Better Act—Here’s Why

November 6, 2021  ReImagine Appalachia press release by Annie Regan

“Appalachia Poised to Benefit from Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal”

Appalachia Poised to Benefit from Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal

Thursday, November 4, 2021, 11AM Press Conference – Learn More about the 48C Manufacturing Tax Credit

“Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credits in the West Virginia Coalfields”

Join Downstream Strategies, ReImagine Appalachia, Appalachian Voices, and the Blue Green Alliance for a press conference to hear more about the potential impacts from the 48C Manufacturing Tax Credit. Speakers: Evan Hansen, Tim Cronin, Zoe Lipman, Dana Kuhnline

https://www.facebook.com/ReImagineAppalachia/videos/1247380355742260/

Appearing on-line on Ohio River Valley Institute https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org :

December 21, 2021 Article by Joanne Kilgour and Eric de Place

“Plans for Hydrogen and Carbon Capture Development in Appalachia”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/plans-for-hydrogen-and-carbon-capture-development-in-appalachia/

December 16, 2021 Article about REPORT by Ted Boettner

“Stayin’ Alive: The Last Days of Stripper Wells in the Ohio River Valley”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/stayin-alive/

November 30. 2021Article about new REPORT by Eric de Place and Molly Kiick

“A Cautionary Tale of Petrochemicals from Pennsylvania”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/a-cautionary-tale-of-petrochemicals-from-pennsylvania/

 Link to full report:

Click to access Beaver-County-Brief-FINAL-11-30.pdf

November 10, 2021 Article about new ORVI REPORT by Kathy Hipple and Anne Keller

“Poor Economics for Virgin Plastics: Petrochemicals Will Not Provide Sustainable Business Opportunities in Appalachia”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/poor-economics-for-virgin-plastics/

 links to REPORT summary and full report.

Available from Fractracker Alliance:

December 1, 2021 Article by Dr. Randi Pokladnik, Guest Author

“US Army CORPS Muskingum Watershed Plan”

US Army Corps Muskingum Watershed Plan ignores local concerns of oil and gas effects

Available on Appalachian Voices:

 December 3, 2021 Press Release

“Air Board Denies Key Permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline, Dealing Critical Blow to Beleaguered Fracked Gas Project”

Air Board denies key permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline, dealing critical blow to beleaguered fracked gas project

Available on Allegheny Front.org:

December 21, 2021 Article by Reid Frazier w/link to ACS (American Chemical Society) Research published

“Pitt study: World plastics trade accounts for 350 metric tons of CO2 – Allegheny Front”

Pitt study: World plastics trade accounts for 350M metric tons of CO2

Appearing on-line on WV Public Broadcasting or WOUB (PBS) or NPR:

December 20, 2021 Climate Article by Lauren Sommer

“What losing Build Back Better means for climate change”

https://www.npr.org/2021/12/20/1065695953/build-back-better-climate-change

December 19, 2021 Climate Article by Jennifer Ludden

“Manchin says Build Back Better’s climate measures are risky. That’s not true”

https://www.npr.org/2021/12/19/1065665886/manchin-says-build-back-betters-climate-measures-are-risky-thats-not-true

Nov. 16, 2021 Book, MISEDUCATION: How Climate Change is Taught in America by Katie Worth is published. Announcement article appeared  Oct. 19, 2021

“FRONTLINE(PBS) and The GroundTruth Project Announce Launch of First Book Project, Exposing the Red-Blue Divide on Climate Education in America’s Public Schools”

FRONTLINE (PBS) and The GroundTruth Project Announce Launch of First Book Project, Exposing the Red-Blue Divide on Climate Education in America’s Public Schools

November 15, 2021 FRONTLINE (in partnership with Columbia Global Reports and The GroundTruth Project presented Virtual roundtable discussion. Registration link announced Nov. 2

“Miseducation: A Roundtable Discussion on How climate Change is Taught in America”

Miseducation: A Roundtable Discussion on How Climate Change Is Taught in America

NATIONAL ATTENTION:

Available on The New York Times:

December 22, 2021  Article in The Morning newsletter by David Leonhardt

“Decoding Joe Manchin”

Available on The Nation:

December  23,  2021 Article by John Nichols

“West Virginians Give Manchin a Lump of Coal for Christmas” Manchin claims his constituents are happy with his abandonment of Build Back better. Miners and other residents say that just isn’t so. (Eric Engle is quoted.)

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/wva-miners-manchin/

Available on Common Dreams:

December 20, 2021 Article by Brett Wilkins

“As World Burns, Climate Campaigners Denounce Manchin as ‘Fossil-Fueled Sociopath’”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/12/20/world-burns-climate-campaigners-denounce-manchin-fossil-fueled-sociopath

Available online on Public Citizen:

November 8, 2021 News Article

“Over 50 Groups Warn 2022 Election Results Could Be ‘Ignored’ Without Swift Action”

A Hyper-Partisan and Coordinated Disinformation Campaign Threatens Free and Fair Elections, Advocates Tell Congress

Over 50 Groups Warn 2022 Election Results Could Be ‘Ignored’ Without Swift Action

 (MOVCA among the groups signing on to open letter)

IMPORTANT READ:

Available on Global Reporting Centre in partnership with NBC NEWS:

November 14, 2021 Part I of an ongoing reporting partnership between NBC News and the Global Reporting Centre on global supply chains.  News Feature by Hannah Rappleye

“The new steel? Hope and fear as a new plastics factory rises in Appalachia”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-steel-hope-fear-new-plastics-factory-rises-appalachia-n1283830

November 14, 2021 Part II of an ongoing reporting partnership between NBC News and the Global Reporting Centre on global supply chains

“The House that Plastic Built” Plastic is an industry made of other industries. Public subsidies help hold it all up.”

https://globalreportingcentre.org/plastics/

INTERESTING READS or LISTENS:

Available on Common Dreams:

November 9, 2021 Article by Kenny Stancil

“ ‘This Must Not Happen’: If Unhalted, Permian Basin Fracking Will Unleash 40 Billion Tons of CO2 by 2050”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/11/09/must-not-happen-if-unhalted-permian-basin-fracking-will-unleash-40-billion-tons-co2

Available on The Guardian:

November 4, 2021 Fossil fuels article by Jonathon Watts. Ashley Kirk, Niamh McIntyre, Pablo Gutlierrez and Niko Kommenda     

“Half world’s Fossil Fuel assets could become worthless by 2036 in net Zero transition”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2021/nov/04/fossil-fuel-assets-worthless-2036-net-zero-transition

November 3, 2021    Opinion feature by George Monbiot  

“Cop26 has to be about keeping fossil fuels in the ground. All else is distraction”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/03/cop26-fossil-fuels

“World urged to slash gas use by a third to avoid climate disaster”

Available on Inside Climate News:

December 12, 2021  Fossil Fuels Article by James Bruggers  

“Coal Powered the Industrial Revolution. It left Behind an ‘Absolutely Massive’ Environmental Catastrophe”

Coal Powered the Industrial Revolution. It Left Behind an ‘Absolutely Massive’ Environmental Catastrophe

Available on Democracy Now!:

December 13, 2021 Amy Goodman interviews Michael Mann, Professor and director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University.  Text and Video.

“This Isn’t a Natural Disaster”: Climate Scientist Michael Man on Deadly Tornadoes in 8 States”

https://www.democracynow.org/2021/12/13/michael_mann_on_climate_crisis_tornadoes

Available from Stanford:

October 22, 2021 Article by Mark Z. Jacobson, Stanford U.

“A Solution to Global Warming, Air Pollution, and Energy Insecurity for the United States”

Click to access 21-WWS-USA.pdf

Plan for transitioning the U.S. to 80% wind, water, and solar by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

Available on CurrentAffairs.org:

November 15, 2021  Article by Jason Hickel

“What Would It Look Like If We Treated Climate Change as an Actual Emergency?”

https://www.currentaffairs.org/2021/11/what-would-it-look-like-if-we-treated-climate-change-as-an-actual-emergency