W.Va. House passes "Chemical Spill" bill

WSAZ 3 News Channel is reporting that the so-called "chemical spill" bill, more formally known as the Water Protection Act, has been passed, in a 95-0 vote, by the West Virginia House of Delegates. The W.Va. House and Senate will need to work out a compromised by the end of the session, which occurs this Saturday.

This year's legislative session began on Jan. 8th.  The next day 10,000 gallons of the chemical MCHM spilled from the storage facility Freedom Industries into the Elk River, just upstream of the West Virginia American Water Company’s water treatment plan. The leak contaminated water for 300,000 residents in nine counties.

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On Tuesday, some groups, including the W.Va. Sierra Club and Citizen Action Group had claimed that the House Finance Committee stripped crucial protections from the bill.  Before approving the bill late on Wednesday, the House passed an amendment restoring medical monitoring to the bill.

In related news, WCHS Eyewitness News reports that Environmental and legal activist Erin Brockovich expressed concerns Wednesday about remain of MCHM sticking to plumbing and fixtures in water systems affected by the contaminated water. 

Below, RT America video, originally published on Jan 10, 2014, on the chemical spill: