Environment

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 225: Prohibiting manufacture, sale, or distribution of cultivated meat products

West Virginia's Senate Bill 225 bans the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat (meat grown from animal cells in a lab) within the state from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2031. Businesses violating this prohibition face fines up to $500 or up to one year in jail, and the state health secretary may suspend a food establishment's operating permit for violations. The law explicitly exempts research on cultivated meat conducted by government entities, state universities, or their partners through written agreements. The ban is set to expire after five years on July 1, 2031.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBans cultivated meat - a sustainable alternative with lower environmental impact - restricting a potential solution to reduce emissions and resource use in food production, directly opposing environmental protection goals.92% confidence

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 16, 2026

SB 457: Providing water filtration equipment to residents whose water is deemed unsafe

SB 457 requires West Virginia's Department of Health to evaluate public water systems for unsafe contaminant levels and provide water filtration equipment or technology to residents in areas where water exceeds safety thresholds. It directly affects residents served by public water systems contaminated with substances like PFAS, bacteria, chemicals, or disinfection byproducts that pose health risks for drinking or bathing. The department must determine unsafe levels based on specific contaminants and other factors, then distribute appropriate filtration solutions. This program would be implemented through department-developed rules, subject to legislative approval.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill directly addresses water pollution from contaminants like PFAS by requiring filtration, protecting public health from environmental pollutants per topic description.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SB 623: Establishing economic incentives for data centers to locate within WV

SB 623, titled the "West Virginia-Powered Data Center Incentive Act," creates new economic incentives for *new* data centers to locate in West Virginia by offering reduced property taxes and a tax credit for coal-fired electric utilities supplying them with power. To qualify, data centers must meet specific eligibility criteria and apply through a state process, with incentives requiring ongoing compliance to avoid recapture. The bill aims to attract data center investment to generate jobs, boost economic growth, and support West Virginia's coal industry by leveraging its coal-generated electricity infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesOffers reduced property taxes and tax credits for qualifying data centers, providing targeted tax relief to attract investment and stimulate economic development.95% confidence ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyBill provides tax credits for coal-fired utilities supplying data centers, explicitly favoring fossil fuels over renewable energy development.90% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentPromotes coal-powered data centers, increasing fossil fuel reliance and opposing environmental protections by incentivizing coal use without emission controls.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProvides tax incentives for data center investment, advancing tech infrastructure development without addressing privacy/cybersecurity directly.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Tax Incentives Coal Tags Economic Development

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introduced · West Virginia · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 82: Establishing tax on production of electricity from wind and solar sources

SB 82 imposes a $3 tax per megawatt-hour on electricity produced from wind and solar sources for sale or trade in West Virginia, starting January 1, 2027. It applies to commercial producers at the point of interconnection with transmission lines, with exemptions for government facilities, personal consumption under 500 kWh daily, and new installations for the first three years of operation. Producers must report annual output by February 1 and pay taxes by the same date, facing penalties of up to 25% for late payment plus 12-18% annual interest. Revenue collected will be distributed to West Virginia counties based on the number of compliant volunteer fire departments, with counties then allocating funds directly to those departments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes new tax on renewable energy producers, directly advancing taxation policy per bill's explicit tax creation.95% confidence ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyTax on wind/solar production increases costs for renewables, discouraging development versus fossil fuels. Explicitly targets renewable energy sources with financial burden.92% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentTaxing wind/solar electricity production directly increases costs for clean energy producers, hindering renewable adoption and contradicting environmental protection goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Solar Transmission

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 2, 2026

HB 4907: Restricting the use of pesticides

HB 4907 restricts the use of specific pesticides near schools in West Virginia. It prohibits applying pesticides containing paraquat, atrazine, dicamba, chlorpyrifos, 2,4-D, glyphosate, or PFAS chemicals within 1,000 feet of any school property. The law defines the 1,000-foot distance as measured from the school’s closest boundary point to the spraying area. This rule takes effect on January 1, 2027, directly affecting pesticide applicators working near schools.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRestricts harmful pesticides near schools, reducing chemical pollution and protecting children/environment from toxins like glyphosate and PFAS.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts pesticides linked to health risks near schools, preventing exposure to harmful chemicals and aligning with public health protection under healthcare topic.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 21, 2026

HB 4688: Eliminate the ban on baiting in all counties for all game animals

HB 4688 would eliminate West Virginia's current ban on baiting for all game animals across every county in the state. The bill directly affects hunters who currently cannot legally use bait to attract game animals like deer, bear, or turkey. It would amend existing law (§20-2-5) by removing the prohibition against baiting, allowing hunters to use bait without violating state wildlife regulations. This change would apply uniformly statewide to all game species covered under the current ban.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRemoves conservation requirement banning baiting, weakening wildlife protection for game species like deer and bear under natural resources management.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Wildlife

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 14, 2026

HB 4211: Relating to authorizing the Department of Environmental Protection to promulgate a promulgate a legislative rule relating to cross-state air pollution to control annual nitrogen oxides emissions, annual sulfur dioxide emissions, and ozone season nitrogen oxides emissions.

HB 4211 authorizes West Virginia's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to implement existing rules controlling cross-state air pollution. It specifically targets annual emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides during ozone season, which directly affects power plants, industrial facilities, and other major polluters within the state. The bill formalizes the DEP's authority under existing law to enforce these emission limits as outlined in the previously filed "45 CSR 43" rule. This creates a clear regulatory framework for managing pollution that crosses state lines, without establishing new emission caps.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAuthorizes DEP to enforce existing air pollution controls on NOx, SO2, and ozone-season emissions, strengthening regulatory compliance for major polluters per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Air Quality

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 14, 2026

HB 4149: Relating to warrantless entry of private lands

HB 4149 amends West Virginia law to clarify and limit when conservation officials (like the Division of Natural Resources) may enter private land without a warrant. It directly affects private landowners and conservation officers by adding specific restrictions on entry for surveys, inspections, or enforcement related to wildlife and natural resources. Key provisions include establishing clear limits on entry, defining the process for entering posted private lands, and clarifying rules about using surveillance cameras near such properties. The bill does not change existing conservation authorities but adds procedural safeguards for landowners. It focuses on concrete changes to entry procedures, not broader policy shifts.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill restricts warrantless entry by conservation officials for enforcement, weakening natural resource regulation and environmental oversight.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Wildlife

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 29, 2026

SB 665: Protecting environment and humans from geoengineering and weather modification experiments

SB 665 prohibits weather modification and geoengineering activities within West Virginia, including cloud seeding, stratospheric aerosol injections, and solar radiation modification. It defines prohibited actions as any intentional release of atmospheric contaminants (such as chemicals, particles, or radiation) that could harm human health, the environment, agriculture, or public safety. The law establishes enforcement through the Department of Environmental Protection and sets penalties for violations. This applies to all entities, including government agencies, corporations, and organizations conducting such activities in the state.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill explicitly prohibits geoengineering/weather modification to prevent environmental harm, protecting ecosystems and public health from contaminants as defined in summary.95% confidence

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 24: Creating WV Intrastate Energy Use Act

SB 24 creates the West Virginia Intrastate Energy Use Act, clarifying that environmental regulations for coal, oil, and natural gas produced and consumed entirely within West Virginia fall under the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), not the federal EPA. It requires coal mines, oil wells, and gas wells operating for in-state use to obtain operational permits from the WVDEP before commencing activities, asserting that EPA lacks authority to deny such permits for resources not entering interstate commerce. The bill applies to all in-state energy production and power generation facilities using these resources, while explicitly stating it does not override other state or federal environmental laws. This legislation aims to define state regulatory authority for intrastate energy activities based on constitutional principles of state sovereignty.

Topics ✗ EnergyOpposes EnergyRemoves federal EPA oversight for fossil fuel operations, shifting authority to WVDEP to enable coal/oil/gas production, opposing federal clean energy regulations.90% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentBill removes federal EPA oversight for in-state energy projects, asserting state authority over environmental permits, weakening federal environmental regulations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Coal Oil & Gas

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