Local News
Senator wants to pursue landowners’ rights in oil, gas drillings
CHARLESTON — Time simply ran out this year, but Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Chairman Mike Green says he wants to pursue expanded rights of surface owners in oil and gas drillings.
“That will be a priority of mine personally next year,” Green, D-Raleigh, said.
“I very strongly believe that we will have legislation out next year that deals with extending the notification.”
Charleston attorney David McMahon pushed the idea of giving landowners more than the existing 15-day notification when mineral owners come onto their properties to install wells.
Green says he “very much” endorses the idea by the West Virginia Surface Owners Rights Organization provided the mineral rights owners’ aren’t left out of the process.
“We need to do something to where we can get in there and protect those landowners rights while at the same time assuring these gas operators and drillers have access to these reserves,” the Beckley resident said.
Green said his committee conducted extensive meetings and brought all of the stakeholders in to consider legislation backed by SORO.
“But we did not have the support to take it up,” he said.
“There was almost no support within the committee to run that piece of legislation. That’s what initiated the conversation with stakeholders to get some resolution. At the end of the day, we were close but just ran out of time.”
McMahon said SORO viewed this year as the time to get added protection built into state law, given the outpouring of support from across West Virginia, including some widespread complaints by landowners on abuse by drillers.
Given the economic downturn, including the recent pullout by Chesapeake Energy, McMahon reasoned that some lawmakers might have been reluctant to do anything that might impede the industry.
SORO wanted to expand the notification period up to 60 days and a mandatory, written agreement. If the latter weren’t done, the group proposed a small bond to guarantee that land owners are compensated.
Another point the group made was that landowners should be compensated for damages at the market value, rather than current use value.
McMahon doesn’t want to see another year-long interims study — the usual approach when legislation fails in a regular session.
All the stakeholders brought in were “eager” to see a bill sent out, Green said.
“Unfortunately, due to time constraints, it didn’t make it this year,” the senator added.
— E-mail: mannix
@register-herald.com
- Local News
-
- Additional warrants issued in home invasion
-
Rahall mulls health care vote
With a decision looming Sunday, U.S. Reps. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., and Rick Boucher, D-Va., said they both are still undecided on the $940 billion health care overhaul bill.
-
Local woman, doctor weigh in on the need for health care
It was a mere month ago that Deborah Cox was working as a nurse in fairly good health.
Today, the 51-year-old says her life is upside down because of a leukemia diagno - What's Happening — March 20, 2010
-
Big Sandy looking for charities, nonprofits
All Big Sandy locations will donate to charities that sign up beforehand if customers mention that charity when making a purchase of $499 or more on March 25.
-
SCHOOL CLOSINGS and DELAYS
Click HERE to go to the West Virginia Department of Education with up-to-date school closings and delays by county.
-
Improvements under way to make Bluestone Dam safer
Improvements and repairs planned at Bluestone Dam over the next 10 years will make the structure safer, but new operating procedures could lead to increased flooding in some areas downstream from the dam, officials said Thursday at a public meeting in Hinton.
-
DOH to relocate cemeteries for expressway
West Virginia Division of Highways officials will begin relocating cemeteries next week to make room for the next phase of the Coalfields Expressway.
-
GVEDC board gets training
Jeff Finkle, president and CEO of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), spent several hours with local development officials Thursday, giving pointers and leading a discussion on economic strategies.
-
Mix-up leads to W.Va. couple on wrong ballot
Stan and Janet Norman are running for office whether they like it or not.
- More Local News Headlines
