Bill
HB 2988
Transfers $15,000,000 from the WV Water Development Authority to Wayne County to fund a Crum PSD water treatment plant, boosting reliable water service.
Status: Introduced in House; referred to House Energy and Public Works (then Finance). Filed February 26, 2025. Considered in public hearing April 23, 2025; left pending in committee.
Note on document: The source materials include two different HB 2988 texts from different jurisdictions. This summary focuses on the West Virginia Legislature version introduced by Delegate Dillon (2025 Regular Session) that concerns a $15,000,000 transfer for water infrastructure in Wayne County. The other HB 2988 (Illinois) is an unrelated appropriations bill for social work programs; that text appears in the record but is not the subject of this summary.
Overview / Purpose
- Requires the West Virginia Water Development Authority to transfer $15,000,000 to the Wayne County Commission to support the Crum Public Service District (Crum PSD) in constructing a water treatment plant in southern Wayne County.
- Intended to address recurring water-service disruptions in southern Wayne and northern Mingo counties (noted for 2023–2025) and to improve long-term reliability and economic prospects.
Key provisions
- Adds a new section (§31‑15‑7a) to Article 15 of the West Virginia Water Development Authority statute.
- Directs a one-time transfer of $15,000,000 from the Water Development Authority to the Wayne County Commission.
- Funds are to be utilized to support construction of a water treatment plant in southern Wayne County to serve the Crum PSD.
- The bill requires the Wayne County Commission to establish a dedicated account to receive the funds and to implement the water plant infrastructure project.
Findings and rationale (legislative findings included in the bill)
- Access to clean, reliable water is essential for residents and economic growth.
- Certain local economic conditions impede the building and upkeep of necessary infrastructure.
- Repeated water disruptions in 2023–2025 affected thousands of residents in southern Wayne and northern Mingo counties.
- Crum PSD’s reliance on Kermit Municipal Water and Mingo PSD contributed to recurring service failures.
- An engineering report (E.L. Robinson) recommends construction of a local water treatment plant as a viable solution.
- The proposed facility would reduce load on neighboring systems and supports economic development, making it eligible for Water Development Authority funding.
Who would be affected
- Primary beneficiaries: residents and businesses served by Crum Public Service District in southern Wayne County.
- Wayne County Commission: recipient and implementer of the project funds; required to set up a dedicated account and oversee implementation.
- West Virginia Water Development Authority: source of the $15,000,000 transfer from its resources.
- Neighboring providers (Mingo PSD, Kermit Municipal Water) may experience reduced service burden.
Funding / Fiscal impact
- A single specified transfer of $15,000,000 from the Water Development Authority to the Wayne County Commission. The bill notes that estimated project cost is $15,000,000.
- The bill does not specify additional project timeline details, matching fund requirements, procurement rules, or reporting/oversight mechanisms beyond establishment of a dedicated account.
Procedural / timeline aspects
- Introduced in the House (Delegate Dillon) and referred to Energy and Public Works, then to Finance.
- Public hearing held April 23, 2025; testimony taken and the measure was left pending in committee.
- No effective date provision is included in the West Virginia bill text as provided; implementation timing depends on enactment and transfer execution.
Additional note
- The record contains an unrelated Illinois HB 2988 (introduced by Rep. Lindsey LaPointe) that would appropriate state funds for social work loan repayment and related programs. That is a separate bill and should not be conflated with the West Virginia measure summarized here.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
Sign in to ask a question.
