West VirginiaCoal mine working faces must receive minimum airflow
West Virginia underground coal mine operators must provide minimum airflow where workers cut, mine, drill for blasting, or load coal, with more air when needed to clear harmful gases.
What it does
Working faces where miners cut, mine, drill, or load coal must receive at least 3,000 cubic feet of air per minute. More air is required when needed to carry away harmful gases.
Argument forThe airflow rule may help miners by carrying smoke and harmful gases away from places where coal is cut, drilled, or loaded.
Argument againstOperators may need to adjust ventilation at covered work faces that do not currently receive the required minimum airflow.
More detail
Mine operators must provide at least 3,000 cubic feet of air per minute at covered working faces. This applies to working faces in a section where coal is being cut, mined, drilled for blasting, or loaded. More air must be provided when needed to dilute and carry away flammable or harmful gases. The enrolled text says the law takes effect on passage; the recorded action history shows passage on March 11, 2026.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 25Chapter 231, Acts, Regular Session, 2026Latest
- Apr 1Approved by Governor Patrick Morrisey 4/1/2026Major
- Mar 14Approved by Governor Patrick Morrisey 4/1/2026 - House JournalMajor
- Mar 14Approved by Governor Patrick Morrisey 4/1/2026 - Senate JournalBecame Law
- Mar 13To Governor 3/13/2026To Governor
- Mar 13House received Senate message
- Mar 11Completed legislative action
- Vote recorded Passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded EFFECT FROM PASSAGE. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded PASSAGE. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Effective from passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 11Communicated to House
- Mar 11Effective from passage (Roll No. 475)
- Mar 11Passed Senate (Roll No. 474)Major
- Mar 11Senate concurred in House title amendment (Voice vote)
- Mar 11House Message received
- Mar 11Communicated to Senate
- Mar 11Effective from passage (Roll No. 398)
- Mar 11Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)
- Mar 11Passed House (Roll No. 397)Passed House
- Mar 11Read 3rd timeMinor
- Mar 11On 3rd reading, Special Calendar
- Mar 10Read 2nd timeMinor
- Mar 10On 2nd reading, Special Calendar
- Mar 9Read 1st timeMinor
- Mar 9On 1st reading, Special Calendar
- Mar 6Do pass
- Mar 4Markup Discussion
- Mar 2To House Energy and Public WorksMinor
- Mar 2To Energy and Public Works
- Mar 2Introduced in HouseMinor
- Mar 2House received Senate message
- Feb 27Ordered to House
- Vote recorded Passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Effective from passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 27Effective from passage (Roll No. 266)
- Feb 27Passed Senate (Roll No. 265)Passed Senate
- Feb 27Read 3rd timeMinor
- Feb 27On 3rd reading
- Feb 26Read 2nd timeMinor
- Feb 26On 2nd reading
- Feb 25Read 1st timeMinor
- Feb 25On 1st reading
- Feb 24Committee substitute reported
- Feb 21To Energy, Industry, and Mining
- Feb 21Introduced in SenateMinor
- Feb 21To Energy, Industry, and Mining
- Feb 21Filed for introductionIntroduced
Public Safety