| Citizen and environmental groups have been left out of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's "stakeholders" meetings to propose new legislation that could prevent another chemical spill water disaster.
Invited to the table are vested industry representatives.
The West Virginia water crisis has had a multimillion impact on economic output in the nine affected counties and affected thousands of workers, according to a Marshall University investigation, in addition to the 300,000 people whose water supply was tainted.
Meanwhile, many families and businesses in the affected area do not trust government go-ahead to drink the water.
WV's congressional delegation and many state officials have been calling for further deregulation of environmental laws, including de-funding the EPA, claiming regulations hinder extractors.
Those representatives are now in a bind to come up with something that sounds good to protect the water and environment in the Mountain State.
Most West Virginia watch-dog groups are well aware that the current environmental laws have been part of a catch-and-mouse game regarding enforcement.
wvgazette.com by
By Ken Ward Jr.
Tomblin meeting on chemical tank bill excluded environmentalists
wvgazette.com
Two weeks ago, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin held a press conference to announce his legislative response to the Elk River chemical spill. The governor unveiled proposed legislation aimed at creating a new regulatory program for above ground chemical storage tanks.
"This proposed legislation includes reasonable, common sense provisions to regulate above-ground storage tanks across the state including those located in areas of critical concern near our public water supply and distribution systems," the governor said at the press conference on Monday, Jan. 20.
A day earlier, a select group of business lawyers and industry lobbyists met with the governor's staff and officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection to go over the governor's bill...
Read rest of story Tomblin meeting on chemical tank bill excluded environmentalists by
By Ken Ward Jr.
Also TOXIC SPILL REPORT TAPE RELEASED: Freedom Industries Downplays Crisis, Hours After Spill
WEST VIRGINIANS CLAIM TO LOVE THEIR MOUNTAIN WATER - Decades Of Toxins Ignored, Comes The Outcry, Then Business As Usual
UPDATE: BEND OVER WEST VIRGINIA - No Criminal Charges Against Freedom Industry, Company Makes Legal Moves Over Spill, Politicos Rail About Disaster
UPDATE: WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE AND NOT A DROP TO DRINK - Chemical Spill Affecting 300,000, Secret Disasters
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