Appalachia

http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20140403/GZ01/140409738
The Charleston Gazette
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Spurred by MCHM leak, Rockefeller, Manchin push national chemical-tank bill
By David Gutman, Staff writer - See more at: http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20140403/GZ01/140409738#sthash.CdA6ZKGw.dpuf

The Elk River chemical leak spurred state legislators to pass a law requiring inspection of chemical storage tanks in West Virginia. On Thursday, the state’s two U.S. senators moved a bit closer to passing similar legislation that would cover storage tanks across the country.

The bill, sponsored by Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin, both D-W.Va., and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., would require states to set up an inspection program for above-ground chemical storage tanks like the one that leaked the coal-cleaning chemical Crude MCHM into the Elk River in January.

The bill passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday by a 16-2 vote, with two Republican senators voting no. It now heads to the full Senate. Were it to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate — where it would need 60 votes to advance — the bill would move to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where its prospects for passage seem slim. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has introduced a similar bill in the House that has not advanced.

Days after the leak was discovered, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said no new regulations are needed. (Of course he'd say that! )