WV HR13

West Virginia House of Delegates expresses support for federal H.R. 5966, the Ohio River Restoration Program Act, and directs the Clerk to forward the resolution to the state's congressional delegation

The Ohio River spans 981 miles total, with 277 miles (28.2%) bordering West Virginia, and the river's watershed drains approximately 75% (18,217 square miles) of West Virginia's total area

The federal bill would create an Ohio River Basin Restoration Program focused on water quality improvement, flood resiliency, fish and wildlife habitat protection, invasive species control, toxic substance remediation, and public recreation access

The resolution emphasizes the program is non-regulatory and not intended to create additional permit requirements or third-party legal causes of action

Approximately 700,000 West Virginians rely on the Ohio River for drinking water, and the resolution cites the river as "one of the most polluted" needing restoration assistance