WV State Code

Letter to Editor, Morgantown Dominion Post,  January 27, 2013

Legislature should revisit fracking law

By Catherine Lozier, Morgantown, WV

The League of Women Voters of West Virginia, as well as the local League in Morgantown, are supporting a petition calling for a moratorium on new permits for natural gas wells until some minimum requirements are met. More and more permits are being issued before inspections and safeguards are in place.

The League wants mandatory inspections of drilling operations, tracers added to the fracturing fluids so water contamination can be identified, a closed-loop process mandated for drilling and fracturing, hazardous materials disposed of in hazardous-waste facilities and air pollution emissions monitored and pollution controls required.

Also citizens should be guaranteed a permanent replacement if their source of clean water becomes contaminated, unless another source of pollution can be proven.

Chapter 22 of the West Virginia Code reads “(1) Restoring and protecting the environment is fundamental to the health and welfare of individual citizens …”

We ask that the Legislature revisit the regulations for hydraulic fracturing in the 2013 session, and add amendments to protect our air, our water and our citizens before any more permits are allowed.

We also hope others will call for action from the Governor and the Legislators.

 Catherine Lozier for The Board of the League of Women Voters of Morgantown-Monongalia County,  Morgantown, WV.