SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 15

(By Senators Hunter, Foster, Kessler, Minard,

Oliverio, White, Unger and Wells)


Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the effects of underground injection of coal slurry on human health and the environment.

Whereas, The underground injection of coal slurry is an accepted method of coal slurry disposal for which the Department of Environmental Protection issues permits; and
Whereas, The most recent information on the effects of underground injection of coal slurry available to the Legislature indicates the potential for harmful effects; and
Whereas, The effects of the underground injection of coal slurry may present serious public health and environmental questions; therefore be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study the effects of underground injection of coal slurry on human health and the environment; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Environmental Protection, in conjunction with the Bureau for Public Health, conduct or contract to have conducted a comprehensive study on the effects of underground injection of coal slurry, including the following:
(1)An analysis of the chemical composition of coal slurry, including an inventory of organic and inorganic compounds;
(2)A hydrogeological study of the migration of coal slurry or its constituent contaminants from injection wells into the ground waters or surface waters of West Virginia;
(3)A toxicological analysis of the effects of the coal slurry and its constituent contaminants on human health;
(4)An epidemiological study of the effects of coal slurry and its constituent contaminants on public health in communities where it is determined that coal slurry or its constituent contaminants have migrated into ground waters currently or historically used for domestic purposes;
(5)An environmental assessment of the effects on surface water and aquatic ecosystems of the migration of coal slurry or its constituent contaminants into surface waters; and
(6)Any other considerations that the Department of Environmental Protection and the Bureau for Public Health deem to be important; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Environmental Protection and the Bureau for Public Health ensure through multiple sampling dates and locations that the resulting data identify possible regional variation in the contents of coal slurry and collect samples of sufficient quantity to provide testable quantities; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Environmental Protection and the Bureau for Public Health report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance on their findings, conclusions and recommendations on or before the thirty-first day of December, 2007; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Department of Environmental Protection and the Bureau for Public Health prepare and submit a request to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance setting forth the anticipated time necessary to conduct each phase of the study and, if any funds in addition to the current amounts appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection and the Bureau for Public Health may be necessary to carry out the study required herein, a specific proposal for additional funds; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare reports and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.