Pure Water

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. 

2024 Pure Water Bills

HB 4802

Repeal of Sewer Connection Requirement

The bill repeals the requirement that consumers connect to available public sewer systems..

CWV Position:

Status: Introduced 1/16/2024; referred to Government Organizations

HB 4966

Gas Well Plugging Requirements

The bill would amend the current plugging statute by adding more precise plugging requirements, new marking requirements for the benefit of landowners, and requirements to notify the county clerk of well locations.

CWV Position: Supports

Status: Introduced 1/122/2024; referred to Energy and Manufacturing

HB 5045

Underground Carbon Sequestration and Storage

This bill provides further assurances to EPA that West Virginia should be responsible for enforcing underground carbon storage regulations. It focuses on changes to rules relating to management of post-injection monitoring and releases of liability.

CWV Position: Supports

Status: Introduced 1/23/2024; referred to Energy and Manufacturing; passed House 2/5/24, committee reference bypassed; passed Senate with amendment 2/9/24; House concurs 2/23/24

HB 5048

Underground Carbon Sequestration and Storage

The purpose of this bill is to remove the cap on the number of gas and other type wells for which operators are required to pay annual oversight fees.

Sponsors: Evan Hansen

CWV Position: Supports

Status: Introduced 1/23/2024; referred to Energy and Manufacturing, then Finance

HB 5076

Amending Dry Well Plugging Requirements

This bill creates exceptions for when a dry well must be plugged and prohibits any cause of action by any party as a result of the changes.

CWV Position: Opposes

Status: Introduced 1/25/2024; referred to Energy and Manufacturing, then Judiciary; passed out of Energy to Judiciary 2/2/24

HB 5365

Emergency Water Supply Act

The purpose of this bill is to require municipal/public water utilities and public service districts shall set aside funds to ensure the delivery of free bottled water when normal water service is disrupted.

CWV Position: Supports

Status: Introduced 1/30/2024; referred to Political Subdivisions, then to Technology and Infrastructure

HB 5414

Orphan Well Protection Act of 2024

This bill seeks to prevent orphan gas and oil wells by requiring an operator to post a bond covering the full cost of plugging, or pay into a set-aside fund payments sufficient to plug the well at the end of its useful life.

CWV Position: Supports

Status: Introduced 2/1/2024; referred to Energy

SB 532

Orphan Well Prevention Act of 2024

This bill would create a system of fees and oversight to plug and prevent orphan gas and oil wells.

CWV Position: Supports

Status: Introduced 1/25/2024, referred to Energy, Industry and Mining, then Finance