WVEC Action Alert

January 10, 2011

CALL TODAY!!

Tell Lawmakers “Don’t Weaken the Water Quality Standards Rule”

At its meeting tonight the Joint Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee will consider important changes to the Water Quality Standards Rule (47CSR2). A variety of industry groups are strongly opposed to the new standard for “total dissolved solids” proposed in this rule. So it is important that we ask legislators NOT TO WEAKEN the proposed standard.

Some background:
Every three years each state is required by the federal Clean Water Act to update its water quality standards. It’s called the Triennial Review process, and it’s an integral part of the Clean Water Act’s attempt to ensure that state water quality standards are protective of human health and the environment. Water quality standards are basically the amounts of various pollutants that are allowed to be dumped into our rivers and streams. These standards determine just how clean – or how dirty – our water will be.

As part of the Triennial Review Process the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has proposed changes to the state Water Quality Standards Rule (47CSR2) for consideration by the Legislature in 2011. The proposed changes will be taken up by the Interim Rule-Making Review Committee tonight.

DEP is proposing a statewide water quality standard for “Total Dissolved Solids” (TDS) of 500mg/l measured in-stream. This is stronger than Pennsylvania’s standard of 500mg/l which is measured only at public water supply in-takes. However, it is twice as high as the 250mg/l that EPA recommends as the Human Health Standard for total dissolved solids. While WVEC believes the state should adopt the stronger EPA standard, it absolutely should not adopt a weaker standard than is proposed in this rule.

Please call or email the members of the Joint Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee and urge them not to weaken DEP’s proposed changes to the Water Quality Standards Rule (47CSR2). Legislators need to hear that their constituents want clean water.

Below is a list of Rule-Making Review Committee members and their contact information.  You can also contact (and leave messages for) members using the Toll Free phone number:
1-877-565-3447.

Thanks for your help.

Don Garvin, WVEC Legislative Coordinator

Rule-Making Review Committee Members:

Senator Joseph M. Minard – Chair (D - Harrison) District 12
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7904
E-mail: joe.minard@wvsenate.gov

Senator Herb Snyder – Vice Chair (D - Jefferson) District 16
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7957
E-mail: herb.snyder@wvsenate.gov

Senator Roman Prezioso (D - Marion) District 13
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7961
E-mail: roman.prezioso@wvsenate.gov

Senator John Unger II (D - Berkeley) District 16
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7933
E-mail: john.unger@wvsenate.gov

Senator Donna J. Boley (R - Pleasants) District 3
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7905
E-mail: donnaboley@suddenlink.net

Senator Karen L. Facemyer (R - Jackson) District 4
Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7855
E-mail: karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov

Delegate Bonnie Brown – Chair (D - Kanawha) District 30
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3106
E-mail: bonnie.brown@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Daniel Poling – Vice Chair (D - Wood) District 10
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3137
E-mail: dan.poling@wvhouse.gov

Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer (D - Monongalia) District 44
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3169
E-mail: barbaraf@mail.wvnet.edu

Delegate Joe Talbott (D - Webster) District 36
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3116
E-mail: joe.talbott@wvhouse.gov

Delegate John Overington (R - Berkeley) District 55
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3148
E-mail: john@overington.com

Delegate Kelli Sobonya (R - Cabell) District 16
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3175
E-mail: kelli.sobonya@wvhouse.gov