Advocates argue that smaller businesses are forced to send the identical waste materials out of state, mainly to Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas at great cost.
The Senate Energy Committee passed a House bill Monday that revises current state law regarding commercial hazardous waste dumping in Mississippi
Current law prohibits commercial hazardous underground injection wells for certain-sized businesses but allows large companies to place waste on their property.
Mississippi has 1,243 Class II wells, which allow oil and gas wastewater, and four Class I Non-Hazardous and four Class I hazardous wells.
The hazardous waste industry said the bill does not change what goes into the injection wells; it changes who is allowed to operate a well.
The bill, HB 965, would allow companies to use existing wells but also allow new wells, which would be placed 5,000 feet below drinking water. The industry says the wells are subject to “the same or stricter” regulations than existing wells.
Advocates argue that smaller businesses are forced to send the identical waste materials out of state, mainly to Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas at great cost.
“Underground injection wells are not new to Mississippi. This bill simply allows commercial operators to use the same proven technology under the same regulatory framework,” said Richard Harrell, director of operations at FC&E Engineering.
In explaining the bill, Senate Energy chairman State Senator Joel Carter (R) told members, “The word hazardous is a regulatory classification under federal law,” adding that chemicals such as anti-freeze, benzine, oil, and gas wastewater are deemed not hazardous due to a federal exemption.
State Senator Bart Williams (R) asked Carter if out-of-state companies would be allowed to inject hazardous waste in Mississippi wells.
“Under this, technically, yes, it would be permissible,” replied Carter. “That really wouldn’t make sense if they could use their own wells to inject their hazardous waste.”
Williams asked Harrell if nuclear and toxic waste would be allowed in injection wells. When Harrell replied, “No,” Williams asked for a list of hazardous waste allowed to be dumped in the wells, to which Harrell remarked, “Our goal is to revise some outdated legislation,” Harrell added that most waste would be metal finishings and wastewater.
Williams went on the say that he is concerned about the bill’s broader intent.
“If we open this up to take waste from other state: the bill seems broader than it should be,” he said. “If we’re trying to help our small and local businesses out by minimizing the cost of them doing the dumping, that’s one thing. But as I understand this bill, it doesn’t read that way.”
Senator Carter pushed back, asking Senator Williams if he wanted to limit hazardous waste being dumped to come from companies located outside of Mississippi.
“At the very least,” Williams replied.
“At the end of the day, this was a business decision, and that’s the reason for the bill,” said Carter.
Williams offered an amendment, which would allow only companies based within “the geographical boundaries” of Mississippi to dump hazardous waste in wells. The amendment passed.
“I don’t want Mississippi to take anyone else’s garbage,” said Williams.
The House bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. HB 965 passed the House on February 11 by a vote of 72 to 48.
-- Article credit to Daniel Tyson for the Magnolia Tribune --
