Water pollution bill advances, despite strong opposition at public hearing.
Chad Cordell, Kanawha Forest Coalition Organizer, shows photos that he had taken of contaminated mine sites in West Virginia.
Cordell was speaking during Monday’s water quality hearing in the house chambers.”These areas looked nothing like this when i was a child,” said Cordell, who went on to talk about how he now cannot take his own children to the same of the places that he enjoyed in his youth, due to water contamination.
A bill that would allow more toxic pollution to be discharged into West Virginia’s rivers and streams moved one step closure to passage Monday, despite strong opposition at a public hearing in the House.
“I’m trying to save the body time so we can get to the real legislation that is going to create jobs.” Pushkin’s motion failed on a vote of 25-72.
DEP would use average flow figures for streams, instead of the current method using low-flow figures.
This would result in water pollution permits that allow potentially significant increases in legal discharges into rivers and streams statewide.
During a public hearing this morning, the majority of the speakers opposed the legislation.
“I know times are tough, but this bill is not the solution,” said Gabriel Peña of Fayette County, one of two dozen residents who spoke against the measure.
“Protecting water quality is an investment in the future of West Virginia.” Joining industry lobbyists in supporting the bill was Woody Thrasher, Gov.