Lawmakers Push for Fracking Rules

House Bill 2403 was formally introduced on the House floor of the WV Legislature on January 12th.  The bill sets out requirements regarding water withdrawals and waste water disposal that are designed to protect waterways from excessive water withdrawals and to provide a system of accounting for the disposal of  waste water from hydrofracked gas wells.    It also calls for disclosure of chemical additives in frack water.   The sponsors are Mike Caputo (D-Marion), Barbara Fleischauer (D-Monogalia), Richard Iaquinta (D-Harrison), Linda Longstreth (D-Marion), Virginia Mahan (D-Summers), Tim Manchin (D-Marion), Mike Manypenny (D-Taylor),  Charlene Marshall (D-Monongalia), and Don Perdue (D-Wayne).    The bill is lean in it’s language (2-pages) and scope compared to the more exhaustive Judiciary and WVDEP bills which are awaiting introduction to the floor.   Text of HB 2403 The bill has been referred to the Judiciary Committee.