SENATE RESOLUTION 50
(By Senators Phillips, Smith (Mr. President), Azinger, Barrett, Bartlett, Boley, Chapman, Charnock, Clements, Deeds, Fuller, Garcia, Grady, Hamilton, Hart, Helton, Jeffries, Martin, Maynard, Morris, Oliverio, Queen, Roberts, Rose, Rucker, Stuart, Takubo, Tarr, Taylor, Thorne, Weld, Willis, Woelfel, and Woodrum)
[Introduced April 12, 2025]
Requesting stream and river restoration opportunities that would assist the citizens of West Virginia in addressing existing flooding damage and mitigating the risk of future flooding damage be evaluated and acted upon by the federal government.
Whereas, The state of West Virginia faced historic and catastrophic flooding in the winter and spring of 2025 causing significant damage to private and public property; and
Whereas, Streams, creeks, rivers, and lower-altitude areas across the state of West Virginia remain currently filled with debris, trash, and sediment that continue to damage property, restrict travel flow, damage infrastructure, compromise the safety of citizens, and increase the risk of additional flooding posed by future rainfall events; and
Whereas, The failure to address these issues could exacerbate the significant existing damage, further increase recovery costs, and pose continued and substantial threats to the safety of our state’s citizens; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby requests stream and river restoration opportunities that would assist the citizens of West Virginia in addressing existing flooding damage and mitigating the risk of future flooding damage be evaluated and acted upon by the federal government; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Senate urgently requests the federal government, including all federal agencies, recognize the importance of these issues and provide resources and necessary approval for stream and river restoration including, but not limited to, debris removal, stabilization of river and creek beds, and the restoration of natural water flow patterns; and, be it
Further Resolved, That in light of the significant potential cost savings related to the mitigation of increased damage risk by attempting to resolve these issues, stream and river restoration efforts by the federal government in this state represent an opportunity to enhance government efficiency and reduce significant future spending by our federal government; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to President Donald J. Trump and Elon Musk, in his capacity as special government employee directing operations at the Department of Governmental Efficiency.