MORGANTOWN — The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is teaming with West Virginia University, Trout Unlimited and several other advocacy groups to hold a citizen science gathering later this month in Morgantown.
The event will be at the WVU College of Law on Sept. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include presentations and roundtable discussions about the applications of citizen science.
Citizen science, or “citsci,” involves the collection of environmental data by concerned citizens. This data can sometimes be used to shape environmental policy, but often there is confusion on the part of the citizens about best practices for collection and presentation of that data. The purpose of this gathering is to help eliminate some of that confusion.
“Citizen volunteers and monitors are the backbone of a good regulatory program,” said Wendy Radcliff, the DEP’s environmental advocate. “They care about their community and work hundreds of volunteer hours each year to preserve and protect it.”
Renowned coal mine safety expert Davitt McAteer will speak on the legal applications of citizen science, and there will be presentations from WVU’s Michael McCawley, Gretchen Gehrke of PublicLab.org and Ryan Grode of the Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project.
The registration fee for the gathering is $20, and the registration deadline is Sept. 14.
To register or for more information, contact Diana Smith at 304-926-0499 ext. 1329 or diana.k.smith@wv.gov.
www.DavittMcAteer.com
Davitt McAteer & Associates
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