by Andrew B. McCallister

As the West Virginia Legislature passes the midway point of the 2011 Regular Session, oil and gas issues remain hot topics with several bills having the potential to directly impact Marcellus Shale operators. Perhaps most significantly are two bills (SB 258/HB2878 and SB 424/HB 3042) that would substantially alter the current regulatory regime for Marcellus Shale permitting in West Virginia. Both bills would, among other things, increase permit fees, require water management plans, require disclosure of frac fluids and impose new notice requirements before permits could be issued. There are also three bills that have been introduced to address the road use issues surrounding Marcellus development (SB 314, HB 3026 and HB 3090). On the economic development front, bills to promote the use of natural gas in vehicles and to encourage development of industries that would use Marcellus Shale gas and its byproducts as feedstock have been introduced. As the Session gathers steam, it will be interesting to see which bills garner momentum and progress. Check out Spilman’s new Marcellus blog for regular updates on what’s happening in the West Virginia Legislature.

For more information, please contact:
Andrew B. McCallister
304.340.3858
amccallister@spilmanlaw.com