WVEC Action Alert

December 6, 2007

Important Public Hearing on Stream Protection Rules

When: Saturday, December 8, 2007, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Location: State Capitol, Senate Judiciary Committee Room 208W

The Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee will hold a public hearing on Saturday, December 8, 2007, in the Senate Judiciary Committee Room, 208W, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., to receive comments on two rules proposed by the Department of Environmental Protection that significantly affect the way West Virginia rivers and streams are protected from future pollution.

WVEC urges you to attend this public hearing and ask the Committee to defeat the slashed Tier 2.5 stream list that DEP has proposed, and to strongly support the expanded list of trout streams in the Water Quality Standards Rule.

60CSR5, the Antidegradation Implementation Procedures Rule -- DEP is proposing to cut in half the number of streams on the Tier 2.5 stream list that will be protected from further degradation.  The streams that are being slashed are among the highest quality rivers and streams in the state.  The original Tier 2.5 list contained 444 streams.  Last year DEP proposed cutting the list to 309 streams.  This year DEP has proposed cutting that list to just 156 streams, in spite of the fact that the agency repeatedly told the Legislature last session that all 309 streams qualified for Tier 2.5 protection according to sound science and the law. Ask the Rule-Making Review Committee members to either restore the list to the 309 streams contained in last year's rule, or to defeat the rule as proposed.

47CSR2, the Water Quality Standards Rule -- This is an excellent DEP rule that greatly expands the list of trout streams (called the “B2” list) which qualify for water quality standards that are higher than drinking water standards. Ask the Rule-Making Review Committee members to pass the rule as proposed.

Following the public hearing the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee will hold a special meeting from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., to take action on these proposed rules, as well as other rules that have been previously held over by the Committee.

We urge you to attend at least the public hearing so that our voice for strong protections for West Virginia streams will be heard.