H. B. 4336


(By Delegate Kuhn)
[Introduced February 1, 2000; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary then Finance.]




A BILL to amend and reenact section seven, article three, chapter twenty-two-c of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to requiring the solid waste management board to incorporate in the state solid waste management plan the use of abandoned coal mines to dispose of solid waste.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section seven, article three, chapter twenty-two-c of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT BOARD.

§22C-3-7. Development of state solid waste management plan.

On or before the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-three, the solid waste management board shall prepare an overall state plan for the proper management of solid waste:
Provided, That such plan shall be consistent with the findings and purposes of article four of this chapter, article fifteen of chapter twenty-two and article eleven of chapter twenty of this code: Provided, however, That such plan shall incorporate the county or regional plans developed pursuant to sections eight and twenty-four, article four of this chapter, as amended: Provided further, That such plan shall be updated every two years following its initial preparation: And provided further, That beginning on or before the first day of January, two thousand two, the board shall incorporate into the plan the use of abandoned coal mines or coal mines not otherwise in operation, existing throughout the state, for the disposal of solid waste. The board shall, through the use of personnel authorized by subsection twelve, section six of this article, determine the location of any such mines, the current owner of the site wherein each mine is located, and whether the mine would provide a protected area for the practical disposal of solid waste that would pose no health hazard to the environment or to any existing water supply or source. Upon determining that a particular coal mine is suitable for the storage of solid waste, the board shall proceed to acquire the site pursuant to the provisions of articles one and two, chapter fifty- four of this code. The board is hereby directed to propose rules for legislative approval, in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, designed to provide for the safe and appropriate disposal of solid waste in approved coal mine sites under the provisions of this section.




NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the use of abandoned coal mines for disposal of solid waste in the statewide solid waste management plan.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.