Lawmakers are heading into their final special session of the year – and they’re considering a change that could weaken West Virginia’s water quality standards for Selenium (Se), a pollutant linked to severe deformities in fish and waterfowl.

Se is a naturally occurring element found near coal seams. When mining exposes these rocks, rain washes selenium into our streams, where it builds up in the tissue of fish and wildlife. Even a small increase can cause misshapen backbones, jaw deformities, organ damage, and reduced rates of survival.

A proposal is likely to come before the legislators Wednesday that would raise the allowable Se in fish tissue from 8.0 to 9.5 µg/g. Contact lawmakers before they meet!

But here’s the catch: EPA guidance also recommends a more protective aqueous standard of 3 micrograms per liter (µg/L) than what WV currently uses, 5 µg/L. If lawmakers choose to adopt EPA’s approach for fish tissue, they should also adopt EPA’s more protective water-column limit – not weaken protections.

Nearly 500 West Virginians have already spoken up. Now lawmakers in the Legislative Rule Making Committee need to hear from you before they make a decision on this change.