Sludge Safety Project Legislative Session Wrap-Up

The 2009 Legislative Session was a hopeful time for the Sludge Safety Project (SSP). We made significant strides to further legislation and to raise awareness about the threat of coal sludge to our drinking water supplies and our communities.

Legislators introduced two bills pertinent to SSP. One, introduced by Sen. Randy White, would have placed a moratorium on underground coal slurry injection until it was proven safe. Sen. Mike Green, chairman of the Energy, Industry and Mining committee refused to bring the bill up for discussion, so it died in committee.

	SSP supporters at one of several press conferences and hearings held the past few months.

Delegate Mike Manypenny introduced the House bill, which would have banned production of all coal slurry and required dry processing methods. This bill was unfortunately introduced too late to have a fair chance.

The fact that two bills were introduced to ban coal slurry in West Virginia (one on each side of the Legislature) is important because it put our issue back in the legislative and public spotlights. Just a few years ago legislators didnt even want to talk about coal slurry; now they are taking a stand against contaminated water and for public health because of the organizing of SSP supporters!

When Sen. White introduced his bill, he gave a moving speech and drank a bottle of brown, tainted water. White told his fellow senators that if people in southern West Virginia have to drink water that looks and smells awful, then legislators at the capitol should, too! He gained public attention and helped to educate legislators on the importance of the issue.

We also succeeded in keeping the heat on the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Due to our lobbying efforts, DEP Secretary Randy Huffman gave a "preliminary report" on the SCR-15, the study of coal slurry injection SSP won in 2007. DEP had missed three deadlines to conclude the study, so Huffman was grilled by legislators on the Judiciary Committee.

At this meeting, Dr. Ben Stout from Wheeling Jesuit University was able to show the committee his own findings and a scientific, rather than political, side of the story.

SSPs citizen lobbyists provided education and the political will to move this issue forward this legislative session. We made sure that all legislators knew of the dangers of sludge contamination and that there are alternatives! Many times, we heard legislators quoting our words when they spoke with DEP officials.

We held two successful press conferences during the 2009 Legislative Session, the first of which highlighted the release of our SSP Citizens Report on Underground Sludge Injection. You can find a copy of the report at www.sludgesafety.org. We compiled existing data, including the DEPs own data from the SCR-15 study that the agency had yet to release. (See related story, DEPs Sludge Study Results: Agency Still Dont Know Nuthin, page 9.)

As the 2009 Interims progress, we are working on gathering commitments so we have co-sponsors at the start of the 2010 Legislative Session. We have a fair number of legislators on our side already, but we must keep fighting the good fight and gain supporters.

Thanks so much to everyone who helped SSP make significant progress for the future health and safety of all West Virginians. Thank you to everyone who lobbied, made calls, wrote letters, forwarded e-mails, and offered encouragement.

We refuse to give up; we will not tolerate contaminated water. We will continue to stand up for our water and our health, and we will make sure we are heard.