By David Beard, The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Senate version of the bill to enable beneficial extraction of rare earth elements and critical mineral from mine runoff took its first step on Monday, winning approval of the Natural Resources Committee.
SB 458 as introduced was identical to HB 4003, approved by House Energy last week and sent to Judiciary, which had the bill on its Monday agenda (the House doesn’t archive its meetings as the Senate does and The Dominion Post was unable to attend).
House Energy expanded the original to say that “all chemical compounds, elements, and other potentially toxic materials which are found within the waters of this state and which are derived from the treatment of mine drainage, and which have economic value, may be used, sold, or transferred,” either by the Department of Environmental Protection or its designee, or by any private party. The DEP is restricted to deposit its income into the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund or the Acid Mine Drainage Set-Aside Fund…