ENGROSSED

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

Senate Bill No. 217

(By Senator Bowman)

____________

[Originating in the Committee on Natural Resources;

reported February 17, 2003.]

____________



A BILL to amend article fifteen, chapter twenty-two of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section twenty-three, relating to the beneficial use of water treatment plant sludge; and requiring promulgation of emergency and legislative rules.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article fifteen, chapter twenty-two of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section twenty- three
, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 15. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT.

§22-15-23. Water treatment plant sludge.

(a) Water treatment plant sludge determined by the secretary to have beneficial properties may be beneficially used in accordance with requirements determined necessary by the secretary to protect human health and the environment. Persons seeking to beneficially use water treatment plant sludge shall meet the requirements of this article and the rules promulgated under this article.
(b) In order to enhance the resource recovery and recycling goals of this article and to encourage the beneficial use of water treatment plant sludge, the secretary shall propose for promulgation emergency rules within one hundred twenty days of the effective date of this act and legislative rules to effectuate the purposes of this section
in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The secretary shall at a minimum include the following in the proposed rules:
(1) A mechanism to determine beneficial use characteristics of water treatment plant sludge
;
(2) A method to determine pollutant content of water treatment plant sludge proposed for beneficial use;
(3) A method to determine that the beneficial properties of the water treatment plant sludge
are derived from the raw material rather than additives;
(4) Buffer zones or other criteria necessary to adequately protect ground and surface water;
(5) Necessary restrictions of pollutant levels in the water treatment plant sludge
;
(6) Analytical methods and storage requirements for water treatment plant sludge
;
(7) Permit requirements; and
(8) Appropriate fees.
________