How Can I Be More Involved?
Members reenacting as Governor and Julia Pierpont
1. Track documents and orders on the West Virginia Public Service Commission website:
http://www.psc.state.wv.us/. In order to find specific cases, click on "Case Information" on the left column. A new page will appear. Under "Search" on the left column, click on "Case". Enter an appropriate word in the space provided to the right of "Case Name" to determine if a case number exists. If you know the Case Number, click "By Activity" under the "Search" column on the left. Then enter the Case Number in the space provided to the right of "Case Number".
Laurel Mountain Preservation Association submitted a complaint to the PSC about the massive bird kill at the AES Laurel Mountain wind facility at which 484 bird carcasses were recovered. The PSC Case Number for our complaint is 12-0034-E-C. The following groups signed on to our complaint letter: Allegheny Highlands Alliance, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Friends of Blackwater, Mountaineer Audubon Society, Allegheny Front Hawk Watch/Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society, Juniata Valley Audubon Society, Save Our Allegheny Ridges, and Black Swamp Bird Observatory. The migratory birds died as a result of lights being left on at the wind facility during foggy conditions, such that the birds became disoriented and died when impacting objects or the ground. It took 8 days for AES to figure out how to turn out the lights, even though the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Elkins Field Office, had been working with AES since 2007 to develop a lighting plan. In the complaint to the PSC, Laurel Mountain Preservation Association pointed out that the negligence displayed by AES regarding the lighting constitutes a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, with which the PSC had ordered AES to comply. AES attorneys have filed a Motion to Dismiss this case. The AES New Creek wind facility (PSC Case Number 08-2105-E-CS) is also lacking a lighting plan.
2. Track legislation on the Federal Register: From this page, you can search for activities in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and numerous other federal agencies.
3. Participate in bird counts. The Birds in Forested Lands is sponsored by Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. On this website, you can click on any program of interest to you from the list under "Citizen Science Gateway". You can also become involved in bird counts sponsored by the West Virginia: visit the website of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and click on "Birding in WV" under "Wildlife Diversity". Another great site for becoming involved with birds is the Brooks Bird Club . At this site, you can access results of banded bird counts conducted at the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory.
4. Become a Master Naturalist through the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Visit the webpage of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and click on "Master Naturalist Program" under "Wildlife Diversity".
5. Establish wildlife habitat areas on your property and obtain a conservation easement. Find out how to do this by visiting the webpage of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and click on "Landscaping for Wildlife" under "Wildlife Diversity".
6. Become a certified stream monitor through the "Save Our Streams" program sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection: http://www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/getinvolved/sos/Pages/default.aspx
7. Conduct clean-ups along roads and in public areas.
8. Visit local historical sites.
9. Participate in Civil War reenactment events. Find information at: www.battleoflaurelhill.org and www.wvra.org .
10. Visit our "Additional Links" and our "News Page" often!
http://www.psc.state.wv.us/. In order to find specific cases, click on "Case Information" on the left column. A new page will appear. Under "Search" on the left column, click on "Case". Enter an appropriate word in the space provided to the right of "Case Name" to determine if a case number exists. If you know the Case Number, click "By Activity" under the "Search" column on the left. Then enter the Case Number in the space provided to the right of "Case Number".
Laurel Mountain Preservation Association submitted a complaint to the PSC about the massive bird kill at the AES Laurel Mountain wind facility at which 484 bird carcasses were recovered. The PSC Case Number for our complaint is 12-0034-E-C. The following groups signed on to our complaint letter: Allegheny Highlands Alliance, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Friends of Blackwater, Mountaineer Audubon Society, Allegheny Front Hawk Watch/Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society, Juniata Valley Audubon Society, Save Our Allegheny Ridges, and Black Swamp Bird Observatory. The migratory birds died as a result of lights being left on at the wind facility during foggy conditions, such that the birds became disoriented and died when impacting objects or the ground. It took 8 days for AES to figure out how to turn out the lights, even though the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Elkins Field Office, had been working with AES since 2007 to develop a lighting plan. In the complaint to the PSC, Laurel Mountain Preservation Association pointed out that the negligence displayed by AES regarding the lighting constitutes a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, with which the PSC had ordered AES to comply. AES attorneys have filed a Motion to Dismiss this case. The AES New Creek wind facility (PSC Case Number 08-2105-E-CS) is also lacking a lighting plan.
2. Track legislation on the Federal Register: From this page, you can search for activities in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and numerous other federal agencies.
3. Participate in bird counts. The Birds in Forested Lands is sponsored by Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. On this website, you can click on any program of interest to you from the list under "Citizen Science Gateway". You can also become involved in bird counts sponsored by the West Virginia: visit the website of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and click on "Birding in WV" under "Wildlife Diversity". Another great site for becoming involved with birds is the Brooks Bird Club . At this site, you can access results of banded bird counts conducted at the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory.
4. Become a Master Naturalist through the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Visit the webpage of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and click on "Master Naturalist Program" under "Wildlife Diversity".
5. Establish wildlife habitat areas on your property and obtain a conservation easement. Find out how to do this by visiting the webpage of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources and click on "Landscaping for Wildlife" under "Wildlife Diversity".
6. Become a certified stream monitor through the "Save Our Streams" program sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection: http://www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/getinvolved/sos/Pages/default.aspx
7. Conduct clean-ups along roads and in public areas.
8. Visit local historical sites.
9. Participate in Civil War reenactment events. Find information at: www.battleoflaurelhill.org and www.wvra.org .
10. Visit our "Additional Links" and our "News Page" often!
Copyright © 2011 Laurel Mountain Preservation Association
