Pure, clean water is essential for life. Because water is abundant in West Virginia, we have been slow to recognize the threats to the safe water we need for drinking, for wildlife habitat and for outdoor recreation.
This came home to us in 2014 when chemicals from above-ground tanks owned by Freedom Industries leaked into the Elk River above Charleston, polluting the drinking water for 300,000 West Virginians in 9 counties.
The threats to our pure water are many, including failing municipal waste treatment plants, industrial pollution, agricultural runoff, and urban stormwater runoff.
The West Virginia Legislature has seemed reluctant to address these threats. We plan to change that.
Read the Study on the Impact of Pipeline Construction on Streams by Trout Unlimited and West Virginia Rivers»
Our Pure Water Platform
We support the passage of the Clean Drinking Water Act.
We support legislation that will create a funding mechanism from fees paid by drilling companies for both preventing and plugging abandoned or orphan gas and oil wells.
We support a new regulatory approach to pipeline construction that would require stream by stream crossing plans, enhanced best management practices on sensitive waters such as wild trout streams, and substantially increase fines for permit violations.
2023 Pure Water Bills
HB 2021
Providing for Funding of DEP Office of Oil & Gas
Currently, the Office of Oil & Gas has too few inspectors and is funded only by a $100 fee paid by an operator at the time of permit application. This bill would require that a $100 fee be paid by the operator annually on all wells that have not been plugged.
CWV Position: Supports
Status: Introduced 1/11/23, referred to Energy & Manufacturing then to Finance
HB 2852
Orphan Well Prevention Act of 2023
This bill seeks to prevent orphan gas and oil wells by requiring a fee paid into an escrow set-aside fund for each well as a condition of receiving a drilling permit. The fee would be based on consideration by the Office of Oil & Gas of several factors, including the actual cost of plugging, the well production schedule and market conditions.
CWV Position: Supports
Status: Introduced 1/20/23, referred to Energy & Manufacturing then Judiciary
HB 2860
Disposal of Firefighting Foam Containing PFAS
This bill directs the State Fire Commission to find a method of disposing of used or accumulated Class B firefighting foam containing added PFAS chemicals, including contracting with disposal companies.
Sponsors: Eric Brooks
CWV Position: Supports
Status: Introduced 1/20/23, referred to Fire Departments and EMS Committee, then Government organizations; passed out to Government Organizations 2/16/23; to House 2/27/23
HB 3189
PFAS Protection Act
The bill requires the DEP to identify and address PFAS sources impacting public water systems; requires facilities that have recently used PFAS chemicals to report their use to DEP, requires permits to be updated to require monitoring of PFAS chemicals for facilities that report their use; and requires DEP to propose rules to adopt water quality criteria for certain PFAS chemicals after they are finalized by the USEPA.
Sponsors: Chuck Horst, John Hardy, Wayne Clark, Rick Hillenbrand
CWV Position: Supports
Status: Introduced 1/31/23, referred to Energy and Manufacturing, then Judiciary; passed out to Judiciary 2/10/23 with amendment; Judiciary substitute bill passed out to House 2/21/23; passed House 2/24/23; referred to Senate Government Organization 2/25/23
SB 109
Orphan Oil & Gas Well Prevention Act
This bill seeks to prevent orphan wells by prohibiting the issuance of well permits unless the applicant provides "plugging assurance." Plugging assurance must also be provided by owners of wells not producing in paying quantities. Plugging assurance is provided by a bond, a cash payment, or an escrow account in the actual amount needed to plug a well as determined by the Office of Oil & Gas
CWV Position: Supports
Status: Introduced 1/11/23, referred to Energy, Industry & Mining then to Finance
SB 13
Establishing Oversight Fee for Large-Producing Gas Wells
This bill would impose a additional $100 annual fee on gas wells that are otherwise subject to fees at the time of permit application, but that produce 10,000 cubic feet per day.
CWV Position: Supports
Status: Introduced 1/11/23, referred to Energy, Industry & Mining
SB 143
Adopt-A-Stream Program
This bill would improve the safety requirements for participants younger than 17, would enlarge the period of stream adoption to 3 years from the current 1 year, and require at least one clean-up per year.
Sponsors: Charles Trump, Jack Woodrum, Bill Hamilton
CWV Position: Supports
Status: Introduced 1/11/23, committee reference dispensed with, passed Senate unanimously 1/11/23, sent to House, referred to Government Organizations; passed House with amendment 1/27/23; Senate concurs in House amendment; sent to Governor 2/2/23
SB 485
PFAS Protection Act
Similar to HB 3189. Requires the DEP to identify and address PFAS sources impacting public water systems; requires facilities that have recently used PFAS chemicals to report their use to DEP, requires permits to be updated to require monitoring of PFAS chemicals for facilities that report their use; and requires DEP to propose rules to adopt water quality criteria for certain PFAS chemicals after they are finalized by the USEPA.
Sponsors: Randy Smith, Charles Trump, Jason Barrett, Patricia Rucker, Jack Woodrum
CWV Position: Supports
Status: Introduced 1/26/23, referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources, then Finance; passed out of Agriculture and Natural Resources as committee substitute 2/7/23
