§ 22-22-6 — Voluntary remediation administrative fund established; voluntary remediation fees authorized; Brownfields revolving fund established; disbursement of funds moneys; employment of specialized persons authorized

(a) There is hereby reauthorized and continued in the State Treasury special revenue fund known as the Voluntary Remediation Administrative Fund. The fund shall operate as a special fund whereby all deposits and payments thereto do not expire to the General Revenue Fund but shall remain in the fund and be available for expenditure in succeeding fiscal years. This fund shall consist of fees collected by the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of this article as well as interest earned on investments made from moneys deposited in the fund. Moneys from this fund shall be expended by the Secretary for the administration, licensing, enforcement, inspection, monitoring, planning, research, and other activities required by this article.

The Secretary shall promulgate legislative rules in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1et seq. of this code establishing a schedule of voluntary remediation fees applicable to persons who conduct activities subject to the provisions of this article. The fees may include an appropriate assessment of other program costs not otherwise attributable to any specific site but necessary for the administrative activities required to carry out the provisions of this article.

(b) There is hereby reauthorized and continued in the State Treasury a special revenue fund known as the Brownfields Revolving Fund. The fund shall be comprised of moneys allocated to the state by the federal government expressly for the purposes of establishing and maintaining a state brownfields redevelopment revolving fund, all receipts from loans made from the fund, any moneys appropriated by the Legislature, all income from the investment of moneys held in the fund, and all other sums designated for deposit to the fund from any source, public or private. The fund shall operate as a special fund whereby all deposits and payments thereto do not expire to the General Revenue Fund but shall remain in the account and be available for expenditure in succeeding fiscal years. Moneys in the fund, to the extent that moneys are available, shall be used to make loans to persons to finance site assessments and remediation of eligible brownfield sites and such other activities as authorized by any federal grant received or any legislative appropriation:Provided, That moneys in the fund may be utilized to defray those costs incurred by the Department in administering the provisions of this subsection. The Secretary shall promulgate rules in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1et seq. of this code, to govern the disbursement of moneys from the fund, and establish a state brownfields redevelopment assistance program to direct the distribution of loans from the fund, and establish the interest rates and repayment terms of any loans:Provided, however, That amounts in the fund, appropriated by the West Virginia Legislature, and which are found from time to time to exceed the amount needed for the purposes set forth in this article, may be transferred to other accounts or funds and redesignated for other purposes through appropriations of the Legislature. Moneys from any other source, public or private, shall remain in the fund.

In order to carry out the administration and management of the fund, the Department may employ officers, agents, advisors, and consultants, including attorneys, financial advisors, engineers, other technical advisors, and public accountants and, not withstanding any provisions of this code to the contrary, determine their duties and compensation without the approval of any other agency or instrumentality.

Legislative History

2024 Reg. Sess., HB4967; 1996 Reg. Sess., HB4605