The RAMPS campaign is working with Aurora Lights and Coal River Mountain Watch to bring clean water and sanitizer to people in areas whose water supply is contaminated by the 4-methylcyclohexane methanol spill. Right now, we’re still delivering hundreds of gallons of water a day, along with hand sanitizer and wipes (which become pretty important for maintaining hygiene when people can’t bathe or wash their hands). These supplies are being snatched up as soon as we put them out, and we need more funding to continue to distribute water.
We’re planning a big delivery day on Thursday, so please help us make that happen!
We recognize that those who are affected by the chemical spill are not the only ones whose drinking water is polluted by the coal industry right now. Coal has been creating a public health crisis here is southern West Virginia for decades, and it’s not going to end once this spill is flushed down the river. We have been, and will be, committed to fighting for clean water before, during, and after this disaster, acknowledging that the “WV water crisis” is ongoing.
Read this letter from Aurora Lights to learn the details of how you can get involved:
Dear Allies,
You can help from afar or within West Virginia.
Aurora Lights, Coal River Mountain Watch, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition and Keepers of the Mountains need some more people to help with logistics and other things in the effort to get clean water to people still affected by the chemical spill who haven’t been getting enough water from the government.
Local fire departments outside of Charleston are still having trouble providing enough water. It’s gone as soon as they get it. One VFD told Aurora Lights:
they have received no direct aid
they have been supported by other local fire departments
i received permission from them to share this information
as long as we express gratitude to the other fire stations
they can only give out one case of 24 bottles per family
fire chief says he stays up at night worrying about the families with babies, or one family with a feeding tube, and how they are going to keep it clean, and if the babies have enough for their bottles
they are also requesting liquid baby formula
You can help in multiple ways:
- co-coordinate logistics of multiple moving parts to get water and other supplies to where they’re needed most, including identifying where those needs are
- work with folks on a press strategy
- strategy for applying pressure to the government apparatus that’s supposed to be getting water to people
- post updates to websites, facebook, etc.
- to the costs of this effort: http://bit.ly/wvChemRelief
- Check out the WV Clean Water Hub on Facebook to see if there’s ways you can help there
To get involved, please email [email protected].
Thank you everyone!
Charles
