Like many other Americans, West Virginians have long been concerned about
the loss of business or resources to foreign companies. In the early 1990s,
there were questions about items such as foreign cars and clothing. In the
last several years, we’ve faced the issue of steel dumping. Now, there’s
increasing debate over the potential foreign or out-of-state control of West
Virginia’s water supply.
Recent newspaper articles have noted that West Virginia is one of only four
eastern states that do not have a water-use law in place. While concerns
have been raised in the past because of international fights over water supplies,
the issue has been driven home in the past few months, as German-based RWE
is purchasing West Virginia-American Water, which controls about 25 percent
of West Virginia’s water.
The state Public Service Commission regulates the process of providing drinking
water and sewage treatment, and the state Department of Environmental Protection
regulates how that process affects the local environment, but there is no
governmental entity overseeing who takes water out of our state’s streams
or how much water they take. Our state has an abundant water supply,
and many state lawmakers are now saying we need to take action to ensure
that it’s protected.
One environmental representative told the Charleston Gazette, “We need to
recognize that pipelines to our neighbors in the eastern population centers
are not out of the question, and we could be exploited.”
During the months leading into the 2004 legislative session, a special interim
committee has been instructed to study “a statewide plan for protection of
the state’s water supply and access to clean and safe drinking water.” The
resolution calling for the study, which was adopted during the 2003 regular
session, points out several factors, including:
– The recent extended drought throughout the eastern United
States has brought attention to the need for the planning and protection
of water supplies.
– The International Center for Investigative Journalism
has noted a national and international trend of increasing management and
control of water supplies and systems by private interests rather than local
authorities, which by contrast are publicly accountable.
– West Virginia is the only state out of the surrounding states that
does not have a comprehensive plan for maintaining adequate water
supplies of clean and safe drinking water.
The committee is to present its findings during the 2004 regular session,
along with drafts of any necessary legislation. The committee is currently
examining West Virginia’s water usage, and the authority and effectiveness
of the state Environmental Quality Board.
* On a different topic, I’d like to clarify something regarding the
new Workers Compensation legislation. There has been some confusion surrounding
the funding mechanism that will be used to address the fund’s debt and help
pay for administrative changes. The final legislation we adopted does not
include any new taxes. While there was earlier discussion about further raising
the cigarette tax and directing the new revenue toward the Workers Compensation
Fund, that proposal died. The final funding formula could potentially draw
from the state’s Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund, but that account is the result
of the multi-state lawsuit against tobacco firms, and does not involve our
tobacco tax.
The following are the funding sources for the new Workers Compensation legislation:
$170 million transferred from the state black lung account, which carries
surplus funds; $14 million from the tax-relief package adopted by Congress
last month; $10 million in general revenue; $5 million from special revenue
accounts; $6 million in interest earnings; and $20 million from the Tobacco
Settlement Trust Fund, if necessary.
I welcome and appreciate your input on these issues, or any other legislative
matter. Please call me at (304)340-3106 or write to Delegate Virginia Mahan,
215-E, Capitol Complex, Charleston, WV 25305.