WVEC Action AlertOctober 10, 2006Below: Interim Committee to Examine Underground Coal Slurry InjectionCall Your Legislators This Week!On Monday, October 16, at 9 a.m., Interim Judiciary Subcommittee B of the West Virginia Legislature will hear from Mingo County residents who believe their well water has been contaminated by coal preparation plant waste slurry injected into abandoned underground mines. These residents also allege that a spate of area health problems stem from the contaminated well water. The Subcommittee will also hear from a panel of scientists and researchers who have been studying the well water of these families living in Rawl, Lick Creek, Sprigg and Merrimac near Williamson. Preliminary results of studies by this panel of experts indicates a possible link between coal slurry injection and water well contamination, and indicate a need for a thorough and comprehensive assessment of the relationship between well water quality, human health and the practice of underground injection of coal waste. What You Can Do: Delegates and Senators who sit on this Subcommittee need to hear from their constituents before this meeting. They need to know that you think this is an important issue. Tell them that the process of underground injection of coal slurry is contaminating water wells and is seriously affecting the health of coalfield residents. Ask them for an independent scientific study of the issue. And ask them to consider a moratorium on any new coal slurry injection permits until such a study is completed. Here is the list of Judiciary Subcommittee B members. If YOUR Senator or Delegate is on this list, please contact them (by phone or email) BEFORE their meeting on Oct. 16. Home phone numbers are below. You can also leave messages for these Legislators by calling toll free 1-877-565-3447. Judiciary Subcommittee B Members:Senator Jon Hunter Chair – District 14 (Barbour, Grant, Mineral, Monongalia, Preston, Taylor, and Tucker counties) E-mail: senhunter@mountain.net Home Phone: (304) 291-3782 Competition in Waste HaulingPublic Service Commission Hearing October 11 in MartinsburgOn Wednesday, October 11, at 11:00 AM at Martinsburg City Hall, the WV Public Service Commission will hear citizen comments on proposals that would allow out-of-state waste haulers to provide waste hauling services in West Virginia. The PSC is conducting multiple hearings on this issue around the state. Certain high-growth areas in West Virginia, such as Berkeley County and the entire Eastern Panhandle region, have been experiencing severe overloading at their local landfills for several years. Landfill operators, such as Waste Management, Inc., in Berkeley County, would like to maintain their monopoly on waste hauling and increase the tonnage limits at the existing landfills. However, many local residents – including the Berkeley County Solid Waste Authority and long-time WVEC member Clint Hogbin who is chairman of the BCSWA – would prefer to see rules developed that would allow out-of-state waste haulers to provide competitive waste hauling services. According to Clint, “This may be our once in a life time opportunity to bring meaningful competition and the associated development of the solid waste infrastructure to include alternatives to landfilling, such as a greater emphasis on recycling.” Clint urges concerned local residents to attend the public hearing. However, if you cannot attend, written comments can be submitted by October 13 to: You can also fax your comments to the PSC at this number: (304) 340-9325. For more information you can download the files for this case, Case # 06-0722-MC-GI, at the PSC website, http://www.psc.state.wv.us/.
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