PLEASE HELP OUT! ~ The WV Legislative Session End on March 11th!

One Week to Go! What Policy Priorities Are Still in Play in the WV Legislature?
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From the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Charleston, WV, March 3, 2023

HB 3189, the PFAS Protection Act, passed the House in a vote of 82-9. It’s now referenced to Government Organization Committee in the Senate. Contact your Senators and urge them to pass the PFAS Protection Act! Learn more about the PFAS problem here.

Contact Your Senator on PFAS

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HB 3110, which increases funding for inspectors with the WVDEP Office of Oil and Gas (OOG), passed the House unanimously. Unfortunately the bill that passed was weakened, leaving the state with less than 20 inspectors to oversee more than 75,000 wells. The Charleston Gazette-Mail has carried a discussion of the importance of this bill. It is now referenced to the Finance Committee in the Senate. Contact your Senators and encourage them to fully fund the WVDEP Office of Oil and Gas! Read our fact sheet here.

Contact Your Senator on Office of Oil & Gas (OOG) Inspectors

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SB 468, which permanently reauthorizes off-road vehicles in Cabwaylingo State Park, passed the Senate on a vote of 29-4. A proposed amendment to open additional public lands to off-road vehicles was defeated in committee. However, the amended bill does allow connector trails from public lands to private lands. It now goes over to the House.

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See Also: GREEN Newsletter, Volume 33, Number 8, West Virginia Environmental Council, March 3, 2023