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Take Action to Stop Forced Subsidence{contact.email_greeting}, SB 686 is sometimes called the “coal cotenancy” bill. However, it does not have the protections for surface owners that are in the “oil and gas cotenancy” law, so we call SB 686 the “forced subsidence” bill. Without these protections, SB 686 will just allow more people’s homes, water, fields, ponds to be damaged or destroyed by longwall coal mine subsidence. (Here are pictures of damage to people’s homes and other property damage.) Urge members of the House Rules Committee to demand an amendment to SB 686 so home owners get the replacement cost of their destroyed homes or else prevent the bill from coming to the House floor. Our friends at the WV Environmental Council have made it easy to send a message to the Committee. Click here to send a message. Without being amended, the home owner will only get the appraised value of the home, and not the cost of hauling off the wrecked home and building a replacement. (And where will they live in the meantime?) SB 686 has now passed out of the House Energy Committee, and is headed to floor because the Judiciary Committee waived the second reference. However, the members of the House Rules Committee can demand changes to the bill or keep it from coming up for a vote. |
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