Proposed Legislation in West Virginia Would Raise Rates on Shale Drills
This post was written by Luke Liben and Nicolle Bagnell.
Earlier this week, the West Virginia House of Delegates approved the Natural Gas Horizontal Wells Control Act that would increase the fee for wells from $400 per well to $10,000 for an initial well, and another $5,000 for each additional well placed on a single pad. These funds, in part, would be used by the state to hire additional well inspectors. The legislation also increased the presumption of contamination as a result of water wells to a distance of 500 feet, and would require the disclosure of fracking additives to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Well casing and drilling requirements, survey notices and other operator obligations to surface owners, and permit requirement and water management plans would also be altered by the legislation.
The governor is expected to sign the legislation.
