WVEC Action AlertJanuary 24, 2011CONTACT LEGISLATORS TODAY!! Tell Lawmakers “Don’t Weaken the Water Quality Standards Rule” The Water Quality Standards Rule (47CSR2) was passed out of the Interim Joint Legislative Rule-making Review Committee and introduced in both chambers. The Senate version is SB 122 and it has been double referenced first to Senate Natural Resources Committee, and then to Senate Judiciary. The Natural Resources Committee may consider the bill as early as this week. 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 members of the committee NOT TO WEAKEN the proposed standard. Some Background: 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 were passed by the Interim Rule-Making Review Committee, and are now under consideration by the full Legislature. For the first time, DEP is proposing a statewide water quality standard for “Total Dissolved Solids” (TDS). Dissolved solids are primarily various salts -- such as chlorides and sulfates – that are dissolved in water and are normally present in most streams. However, at high enough levels, these pollutants can be dangerous to human health and aquatic life and can make water used in drinking supplies taste and smell bad. High levels of TDS can come from a variety of sources, including coal-mining discharges and oil and gas well brine. DEP is proposing a statewide water quality standard for total dissolved solids of 500 mg/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 Senate Natural Resources 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 Senate Natural Resources Committee members and their contact information. You can also contact (and leave messages for) members using the Toll Free phone number: Thanks for your help. Senate Natural Resources Committee Members: William R. Laird IV -- Chair (D - Fayette) District 11 John Pat Fanning – Vice Chair (D - McDowell) District 6 Clark S. Barnes (R - Randolph) District 15 Robert D. Beach (D - Monongalia) District 13 Donna J. Boley (R - Pleasants) District 3 Larry J. Edgell (D - Wetzel) District 2 Douglas E. Facemire (D - Braxton) District 12 Karen L. Facemyer (R - Jackson) District 4 Mike Green (D - Raleigh) District 9 Walt Helmick (D - Pocahontas) District 15 Roman Prezioso (D - Marion) District 13 Bob Williams (D - Taylor) District 14 Mark Wills (D - Mercer) District 10 Copy and paste the following to an email "TO" field to send an email to all (note that phone calls or individual emails may carry more weight):
|