12
2009
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Maryland native Shannon Bell worked in the Mountain State for several years before heading to Oregon for graduate school. The images of Southern West Virginia stayed in her mind and tugged at her heart, urging her to come back to West Virginia to capture these images in some form.
That form is Photovoice. In September 2008, Bell gave digital cameras to 40 women from five communities in Southern West Virginia and asked them to take pictures to tell the story of their communities.
Each group met monthly for eight months to share their photographs, discuss common themes, create “photo stories” (photographs with written narratives), and develop project ideas to address problems they identified. Bell participated in the meetings, giving the women guidelines to organize their photographs and stories.
“I’m just so moved by these stories,” Bell said. “The issues just dig deep into your heart.”
A selection of 100 photos and accompanying stories will be presented Wednesday through April 19 in an exhibit at the Clay Center. An opening reception will be held 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, and several of the photographers will be present.
Many of the women identified problems within their community, and the project empowered them to visit their lawmakers to discuss the problems as well as to offer solutions and suggestions for community development.
“It’s a neat way to communicate with policymakers,” Bell explained of the Photovoice project. “It’s empowering to the local people, as they got to say what their problems are instead of some outsider coming in and telling them.”
“Photographs elicit a visceral reaction,” Bell said. “The pictures impressed the legislators more than just facts and figures.”
Joanne Frame, 59, and her daughter-in-law Tammy learned that firsthand. They took photographs of the deteriorating roads in Boone County.
“I was always so backward and all, but this encouraged me to speak up. I wanted to show the beauty of Boone County but wanted to show things that weren’t so pretty, like the roads,” Frame said. The Frames set up appointments with Delegate Ralph Rodighiero and Sen. Ron Stollings.
“These photo stories and Joanne and Tammy’s visit made quite an impression on these two legislators,” Bell said. “The roads in that area had not been paved in over 25 years. The next day, as a temporary fix, the crews started patching the roads that Tammy, Joanne and others had photographed.” More permanent work is planned.
10
2009
The new policy does not apply to existing mines, but to requests for new permits, a number estimated to be as high as 200.
The following day, Gov. Joe Manchin met with officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the EPA and released the following statement:
“”I told them that we are looking for a balance between the environment and the economy, and they assured me that they will work with us to find that balance.
As a result of our discussion this morning, our state Department of Environmental Protection is bringing together the mining companies that have permits in question with the EPA officials.”
Then, on April 1, Gov. Manchin met with officials from the EPA, WVDEP, and the Army Corp of Engineers.
“As a result of our discussions today, the EPA will return within two weeks to meet with our DEP officers, the Corps and the companies in question to focus on a permit decision,” Gov. Manchin stated.
That meeting has not yet been scheduled, according to a spokesperson for the governor.
Three days following the EPA’s announcement that they would reassert their longstanding legal authority under the Clean Water Act to review mining permit applications, an announcement was made that the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey was releasing its findings on a national study of the water quality of private U.S. wells.
The U.S. Geological Survey concluded from a 13-year study (1991-2004) that more than 20 percent of private domestic wells sampled nationwide contain at least one contaminant at levels of potential health concern.
The study found that about 43 million people, or 15 percent of the nation’s population, use drinking water from private wells.
These drinking wells are not regulated by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
USGS scientists sampled about 2,100 private wells in 48 states and found that the contaminants most frequently measured at concentrations of potential health concern were inorganic contaminants, including radon and arsenic.
“The results of this study are important because they show that a large number of people may be unknowingly affected,” Matt Larsen, USGS Associate Director for Water, said.
“Greater attention to the quality of drinking water from private wells and continued public education are important steps toward the goal of protecting public health,” he said.
According to officials at the West Virginia office of USGS, data for the national study was collected from wells in southern West Virginia and a separate report was issued at the time of the water quality testing.
This 2000 report, “Ground Water Quality in the Appalachian Plateaus, Kanawha River Basin, West Virginia,” found that levels of sulfate exceeded the USEPA standards in two of the 30 wells sampled.
It also found that 13% of the wells contained more than the permissible maximum contaminant level of arsenic in public drinking water supplies and noted, “arsenic in ground water commonly results from natural minerals in rock units, which can differ at a local scale.
The proposed standards reflect the previously unknown potential of arsenic to cause several cancers and other diseases.”
Radon was also found in concentrations exceeding the proposed USEPA standards in 50% of the wells sampled.
The study clearly states that the effects of co-occurrence of contaminants was not addressed but should be considered when evaluating water quality of an individual well.
At the time that the data was collected, West Virginia did not require domestic wells to be grouted, although they do require a concrete pad be installed around the casing at the surface.
The scientists conducting these studies state that the findings “suggest that proper grouting and sealing of the wells can reduce bacterial contamination,” though only 57% of the wells sampled were grouted.
While many might not see why this information should concern residents who do not rely on well water, the USGS report clearly states that “ground water flow in the Appalachian Plateaus is not fully understood” and that “further study is needed to determine the age of ground water in these systems.”
From 1997 to 2005, the USGS sampled the ground water in 170 wells in West Virginia for dissolved gases, including methane.
Methane was found in 131 of 170 wells and was present in concentrations greater than 28 mg/L in 13 of those wells.
At this high level of concentration, the U.S. Department of the Interior and Office of Surface Mining advises well owners to immediately contact their local county health department to obtain assistance and guidance in venting the wellhead.
“The accumulation of methane gas in an enclosed area may cause an explosive environment in which an ignition source such as an electrical outlet, pilot light, match, or even a well pump could trigger a violent explosion,” the report states.
The report also mentions that methane in ground water is not explosive, but when water containing dissolved methane comes into contact with air, the methane quickly escapes from the ground water into the atmosphere and if not properly vented, is a cause for concern.
Private well owners, who generally are responsible for testing the quality of their well water and treating, if necessary, can contact local and State health agencies for guidance and information about well maintenance, water quality and testing options, and in-home water treatment devices.
The current Clean Water Act only addresses surface water and does not tackle the increasing concerns of contaminated ground water.
Yesterday, FRONTLINE hosted a special sneak peak preview of the upcoming documentary, “Posioned Waters” along with a panel discussion with Obama’s EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, and Nixon’s EPA Administrator, Bill Ruckelshaus, on effective policies for protecting America’s waterways.
According to FRONTLINE’s Diane Buxton, the documentary touches briefly on West Virginia, but focuses on how, more than three decades after the Clean Water Act, iconic American waterways like the Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound are still in perilous condition and facing new sources of contamination.
“Poisoned Waters” airs Tuesday, April 21, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on PBS.
07
2009
Good Work.
Are you ready for more? :) Glen Collins
We have almost enough to buy more. Thanks to the fund raising efforts of all those involved.
Hopefully we will be setting about 100 real soon !!!
Mathew Louis-Rosenburg
Mat & Glen were the work horses behind setting the barrels and raising money for the project.
A big thanks to Patty for all the hard work she has done, a driving force behind the project.
Our community members have also been very much involved with donations.
01
2009
Those of you who missed the exhibit, missed some wonderful talent in picture taking as well as story telling. You will get a second chance to see the wonderful work these ladies have produced at the Clay Center on April 17th, 2009 at 6:00pm. They would welcome your presence, as well as input on the ideas for improving their communities. Invitations went out to local and state officials as well as the press. Thank You to all those who attended. Hope you took away more than you came with.
Gallery Coming Soon