WVEC Action Alert

February 19, 2007

Critical Votes for Clean Water This Week
Ask Legislators to Support DEP Water Quality Rules

Judiciary Committees in both the House and Senate will consider two major water quality rules this week.  It is urgently important that you contact members of both these committees and ask them to support both rules.

Background:

The Department of Environmental Protection has proposed two sets of rules that will significantly impact clean water – for the better – in West Virginia.

The first of these is the water quality standards rule package, which contains the Category B2 trout stream list.  Industry folks hate this water quality category, because it gives trout streams higher protections than drinking water standards.

The second is the antidegradation rule, which contains the Tier 2.5 stream list. Industry folks hate the Tier 2.5 designation because it limits their ability to degrade the state’s most pristine waters.

The West Virginia Environmental Council strongly supports both of these rules, even though we don’t agree with a few of the elements contained in them.  Industry is strongly opposed to both rules and their lobbyists are working overtime to defeat or gut them.

So it is important that you contact members of both these committees – by phone or email -- as soon as possible and ask them to support the water quality standards rule and the antidegradation rule as proposed by DEP.

You can also reach Delegates and Senators by calling toll-free at 1-877-565-3447.

NOTE ABOUT WVEC ACTION ALERTS: We know you receive a lot of email, so it is the policy of the West Virginia Environmental Council to send you our Action Alerts only when the issues are truly important and only when there is specific important action you can take to help. Thanks for your help and support.