Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb629%20intr.htm&yr=2013&sesstype=RS&i=629
Timestamp: 2018-04-19 14:38:56
Document Index: 697698391

Matched Legal Cases: ['§22', '§22', '§22', '§22', '§22', '§22', '§22', '§22', '§22', '§22']

(By Senators Facemire, Kessler (Mr. President) and Plymale)
[Introduced March 25, 2013; referred to the Committee on Energy, Industry and Mining; and then to the Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §22-27-3, §22-27-4, §22-27-5, §22-27-6 and §22-27-10 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, all relating to limiting the liability of landowners, operators and contractors participating in water pollution abatement projects or making beneficial use of mine drainage, mine pool water and other water supplies; defining terms; establishing conditions for approval of reclamation and water pollution abatement projects; specifying limitations on liability; restricting the assumption of liability for making beneficial use of mine water; specifying exclusions of project sponsors and operators from certain determinations under environmental laws; and clarifying exceptions.
That §22-27-3, §22-27-4, §22-27-5, §22-27-6 and §22-27-10 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
(d) “Eligible land and water” means land and water adversely affected by mineral extraction and left or abandoned in an unreclaimed or inadequately reclaimed condition or causing water pollution and for which no person has a continuing reclamation or water pollution abatement obligation. For purposes of water pollution abatement projects involving the use of mine drainage or mine pool water for hydraulic fracturing or other development of a gas well, industrial or other water supply or other beneficial use of the water, the term also includes, without limiting the foregoing definition, land and water adversely affected by mining and left in an unreclaimed of inadequately reclaimed condition, or left discharging water pollution for which a treatment trust fund naming the department as the beneficiary of the trust has been established.
(e) ”Eligible landowner” means a landowner that provides access to or use of the project work area at no cost for a reclamation or water pollution abatement project who is not or will not become responsible under state or federal law to reclaim the land or address the water pollution existing or emanating from the land.
(f) ”Eligible project sponsor” means a person that provides equipment, materials or services at no cost or at cost for a reclamation or water pollution abatement project who is not or will not become responsible under state or federal law to reclaim the land or address the water pollution existing or emanating from the land.
(g) “Industrial or other water supply” means the supply of water for use by any lawful industrial, commercial or agricultural facility or activity or by any public water supply.”
(g) (h) “Landowner” means a person who holds either legal or equitable interest in real property.
(i) “Mine operator” means the permittee of an active or closed mine that treats mine drainage under a permit issued by the department.
(h) (j) “Mineral” means any aggregate or mass of mineral matter, whether or not coherent, which is extracted by mining. This includes, but is not limited to, limestone, dolomite, sand, gravel, slate, argillite, diabase, gneiss, micaceous sandstone known as bluestone, rock, stone, earth, fill, slag, iron ore, zinc ore, vermiculite, clay and anthracite and bituminous coal.
(k) “Other beneficial use” means any use of water for a purpose that produces any economic, environmental, ecological or other benefits, including irrigation, silvaculture, cooling water, flow maintenance and augmentation, consumptive use makeup, and any other use of water deemed to be a beneficial use under common law.
(i) (l) “Permitted activity site” means a site permitted by the Department of Environmental Protection under the provisions of article two, three or four of this chapter.
(j) (m) “Person” means a natural person, partnership, association, association members, corporation, an agency, instrumentality or entity of federal or state government or other legal entity recognized by law as the subject of rights and liabilities.
(k) (n) “Project work area” means that land necessary for a person to complete a reclamation project or a water pollution abatement project.
(l) (o) “Reclamation project” means the restoration of eligible land to productive use by regrading and revegetating the land to stable contours that blend in and complement the drainage pattern of the surrounding terrain with no highwalls, spoil piles or depressions to accumulate water, or to decrease or eliminate discharge of water pollution.
(p) “Treated mine drainage” means water from an active or closed mine that is treated by the mine operator or water pollution abatement project operator under a permit issued by the department.
(m) (q) “Water pollution” means the man-made or man-induced alteration of the chemical, physical, biological and radiological integrity of water located in the state.
(n) (r) “Water pollution abatement facilities” means the methods for treatment or abatement of water pollution located on or associated with eligible lands and water. These methods include, but are not limited to, a structure, system, practice, technique or method constructed, installed or followed to reduce, treat or abate water pollution. These methods also include a structure, system, practice, technique or method constructed, installed or followed to enable the use of mine drainage or mine pool water from eligible land and water for hydraulic fracturing or other development of a gas well, industrial or other water supply or other beneficial use of the water.
(o) (s) “Water pollution abatement project” means a plan project for treatment or abatement of water pollution located on eligible lands, including, but not limited to, the practices to be followed and the installation, operation and maintenance of facilities and activities to:
(1) Reduce, treat or abate the water pollution;
(2) Withdraw, divert and use mine drainage or mine pool water from eligible land and water fro hydraulic fracturing or other development of a gas well, industrial or other water supply or other beneficial use of the water, with or without treatment, that may or may not be located on eligible land and water; or
(3) Withdraw, divert and use treated mine drainage from a permitted mining activity site for the hydraulic fracturing or other development of a gas well, industrial or other water supply or other beneficial use of the water.
(t) “Water pollution abatement project operator” means the owner or operator of a water pollution abatement project approved by the department, and a person acting as a contractor to the owner or operator of a water pollution abatement project.
(4) Is likely to improve the water quality and is not likely to make the water pollution worse or reduce the volume or loading of mine water or an existing discharge of pollution of mine water pollutants or will likely have a beneficial impact on the water resources of the state.
(3) Is immune from liability for any injury to, cost incurred by or damage suffered by a third party, including a downstream riparian landowner, which arises out of or occurs as a result of a reclamation project or a water pollution abatement project;
(c) Mine water for beneficial uses. –- Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, landowners, mine operators and water pollution abatement project operators that are involved in treating mine drainage or mine pool water from a permitted mining activity site or water pollution abatement project shall not be deemed to assume legal responsibility for, or to incur liability with respect to, a cost, injury or damage that arises out of or occurs in connection with the use of mine drainage, mine pool water or treated mine water in connection with the hydraulic fracturing process or other development of a gas well, industrial or other water supply or other beneficial use of the water.
(c) (d) Exceptions to immunity. -- Nothing in this article may limit an eligible landowner's liability which results from a reclamation project or water pollution abatement project and which would otherwise exist:
(a) General rule. -- Except as specifically provided in subsection (b) of this section, a water pollution abatement project operator or project sponsor who provides equipment, funding, materials or services at no cost to the state or at cost for a reclamation project or a water pollution abatement project or who implements any such project at no cost to the state:
(1) Is immune from liability for any injury to or damage suffered by a person, including a downstream riparian landowner, which arises out of or occurs as a result of a reclamation project, a water pollution abatement project or the water pollution abatement facilities constructed or installed during the water pollution abatement project;
(3) Is immune from liability for the operation, maintenance and repair of the water pollution abatement facilities constructed or installed during the water pollution abatement project;
(4) May not be considered to be engaging in surface or underground mining activities under the act of May 31, 1945 (P.L.1198, No.418), known as the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act , or the act of April 27, 1966 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.31, No.1), known as The Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act, when the water pollution abatement project involves the use of mine drainage or mine pool water for hydraulic fracturing or other development of a gas well, industrial or other water supply or other beneficial use of the water;
(5) May not be considered to be releasing a hazardous substance or contaminant, when using mine drainage, mine pool water or treated mine drainage for hydraulic fracturing or other development of a gas well, industrial or other water supply or other beneficial use of the water; and
(6) May not be considered an owner or operator of the project site for purposes of a state law that imposes reclamation or remediation obligations on the basis of past or present ownership or operation of the site, solely by reason of a water pollution abatement project involving the use of mine drainage or mine pool water for hydraulic fracturing or other development of a gas well, industrial or other water supply or other beneficial use of the water.
(A) For injury or damage resulting from the project sponsor’s acts or omissions which are reckless or constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct.
(a) General rule. -- Any person who under existing law shall be or may become responsible to reclaim the land or treat or abate the water pollution or any person who for consideration or who receives some other benefit through a contract to reclaim land or treat or abate water pollution or any person who through a consent order and agreement or is ordered to perform or complete reclamation or treat or abate water pollution as well as a surety which provided a bond for the site is not eligible nor may receive the benefit of the protections and immunities available under this article.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to limit the liability of persons who participate in water pollution abatement projects or make beneficial use of mine drainage, mine pool water and other water supplies for projects such as hydraulic fracturing of gas wells and other industrial purposes.