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W.Va House Passes Bill Addressing Drilling Waste

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 The West Virginia House has approved a bill allowing commercial solid waste facilities to accept drilling waste from horizontal well sites.

The bill allows drill cuttings to be accepted beyond waste facilities' monthly tonnage limits through Dec. 31, 2016, if cuttings are placed in a separate cell.

Solid waste facilities accepting drill cuttings must install radiation monitors by Jan. 1, 2015.

Delegate Tim Manchin said drilling companies will be charged $1 per ton to fund Department of Environmental Protection studies on the viability of using existing landfills for cuttings. The fee will also go toward maintaining roads to landfills.

The DEP will also monitor radiation and leeching where new cells contain only well drillings.

The bill has moved to the Senate.