Yesterday at the House Judiciary Committee after nearly 2 hours of debate, legislators gutted a bill that would have banned the practice of underground coal slurry injection. Although there has been a temporary ban on the practice for two years, 13 operations are exempted from the moratorium, and a complete permanent ban is badly needed.
Maria Lambert water intro from On Coal River on Vimeo.
Despite testimony from a retired prep plant worker explaining that viable alternatives exists and from a WVU medical doctor discussing the serious health impacts on communities from injections, the legislators removed the ban on coal slurry injection and left only a tax credit for the industry.
The ban language can still be restored in the House Finance Committee and the Senate bill remains intact.Call members of the WV house finance committee starting with chairman Harry Keith White: (304) 340-3230. Also Nancy Guthrie, Virginia Mahan, John Doyle, Tim Manchin, Don Perdue
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