Bill > HB2725

This bill amends the existing law to provide additional funding for the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) Office of Oil and Gas. The key provisions are: 1. The bill imposes an annual $100 oversight fee on each well that has not been plugged and is not providing free gas to a landowner. These fees will be deposited into the Oil and Gas Operating Permit and Processing Fund to be used by the Secretary of the DEP for carrying out the provisions of the law. 2. The bill allows the Chief of the Office of Oil and Gas to transfer any unused funds from the Oversight Fee collections in the Oil and Gas Operating Permit and Processing Fund to the Oil and Gas Reclamation Fund, which is used to reclaim and plug abandoned wells. 3. The bill makes various technical changes to update the references to specific code sections throughout the law. The overall goal of the bill is to provide additional dedicated funding for the oversight and reclamation activities of the DEP's Office of Oil and Gas to ensure the proper regulation and management of the state's oil and gas resources.

Business and Industry

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=2725&year=2021&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill