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The Greenbrier River…

From the wilds of Blister Swamp high in the Allegheny Mountains until it flows into the New River Gorge National River near Hinton, the Greenbrier River has carved its way almost two hundred miles through some of the most beautiful and unspoiled terrain on the East Coast. It is the longest free flowing river in the East, and boasts two of our newest wilderness areas, Spice Run and Big Draft.

One of the nation’s oldest rail to trail conversions, the scenic Greenbrier River Trail parallels the river for almost eighty miles in Pocahontas and Greenbrier Counties, affording access to the river and some of the surrounding state parks and forest and the Monongahela National Forest.

The river and its tributaries provide drinking water for communities, water for agriculture and recreation, and home for abundant wildlife, including bald eagles, lynx, black bear, river otters and myriad of birds and mammals.

The Greenbrier River Watershed Association, founded in 1990, is one of the oldest watershed associations in the state. With this website, we hope to give the Greenbrier River Watershed residents and visitors the tools they need to take responsible care of the land that is home to the waters. Most importantly we hope that the people of these beautiful mountains get outdoors and enjoy wild and wonderful West Virginia.

Learn, do, enjoy and please join us as we do the same!

Action Alerts:

Letters need to come from all corners of our state so this issue can be heard and dealt with all help is needed.

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Gordy Oil, the company that intends to drill the first Marcellus Shale gas well in Monroe County, has recently applied for a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). It has been confirmed that the DEP is very nervous about giving permits here because of the karst (limestone and caves). With a little push from concerned residents and landowners, it’s quite possible that the DEP will refuse this company a permit, especially since, as Gordy representatives admitted at the meeting at the Courthouse on July 19, they have no experience drilling in karst. With luck, the DEP may refuse any and all permits to drill in Monroe County.

Letters need to be sent as soon as possible and are more effective than emails. The DEP must decide within 60 days of an application whether to issue a permit; as of July 20, about 45 days remain, so a decision could be made at any time. Write now!

Send your letter to: James Martin,

Chief WV DEP

Office of Oil and Gas

601 57th St., SE

Charleston, WV 25304

And send copies to each of the Monroe County Commissioners:

Joyce Pritt, Rt 2 Box 279, Pickaway, WV 24976

Shane Ashley, P.O. Box 245, Union, WV 24983

Bill Martin, Rt 1 Box 95, Peterstown, WV 24963

Here’s the email addresses if you can’t write a letter. If you email, send it to all addresses:

DEPcomments@WV.gov

JAMES MARTIN Chief James.A.Martin@wv.gov
LAURA ADKINS Permitting Laura.L.Adkins@wv.gov
BERNARDO GARCIA Permitting Bernardo.Garcia@wv.gov
MICHAEL MOORE Permitting    Michael.F.Moore@wv.gov
JAMIE PETERSON   Permitting    James.A.Peterson@wv.gov
GENE C. SMITH   Regulatory Compliance Manager    Gene.C.Smith@wv.gov

Talking points for letters:

- Hundreds of documented incidents related to deep well gas drilling and fracking (hydraulic fracturing of rock over a mile deep) have shown that the technique is fraught with danger to the water supplies of millions of people. These problems are much more likely to occur and have more serious consequences on karst, which underlies much of Monroe County.

- The danger of piercing the karst and changing water flows, affecting people’s springs and wells.

- The danger of spillage of spent fracking water, which, in karst can carry contaminants for miles, affecting the water sources of hundreds of people.

- The fact that Monroe County is so close to the edge of the Marcellus shale that returns on drilling are likely not to be very productive. Thus the drilling exposes Monroe County to truly disastrous consequences for very little return.

For future reference, though we hope we never need it, this is the Inspector for Monroe County:
DAVID GILBERT (covers Greenbrier, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Summers, Webster)
1727 Horsefork Road, Wallback,WV 25285
cell 304-389-3705 304-587-2105
David.A.Gilbert@wv.gov

Bi-Weekly Outings

Spring and Fall of 2010, GRWA will be sponsoring bi-weekly outings. The outings will explore the beautiful headwater areas of the Greenbrier River watershed.

Residents and visitors of the area will be afforded the opportunity to explore some of the natural areas for which our area is renowned and to share in its natural history.

Outings will be led by Frank Gifford

All ages are welcome

Participation requires the ability to navigate uneven terrain

Each hike will be denoted as to its level of strenuousness

All hikers should wear appropriate footwear. Bring water and lunch, snacks, jacket, and rain wear.

If you would like to take advantage of the opportunity to visit beautiful hiking areas in the upper reaches of the Greenbrier River Watershed these hikes are for you!

Please email frankgifford@hotmail.com or call 304-647-4792 the Thursday before every hike to reserve your spot. Space is limited to the first 10 people.

Please contact GRWA if you have any questions or need further information.

Schedule of Outings

Methane Recovery Fact Sheet