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“Co-Tenancy” Bill Advances Without Changes, Public Hearing Possible Wednesday
Updates and Alerts WVSORO February 4, 2018
Last week the House Energy Committee passed the "co-tenancy" bill (HB 4268) without any changes. HB 4268 is problematic in a number of ways which we've outlined in detail here, and we remain opposed to the bill unless these issues are addressed. The bill is now before the House Judiciary Committee. A public hearing has been requested and will possibly be held this Wednesday, February 7 although there has been no official announcement yet. In the meantime, please contact House Judiciary Committee members and voice your concerns about HB 4268.  More
Issues: Eminent domain, Fence-line monitoring, Pipelines, Pollution, Pooling

“Co-Tenancy” Bill Being Considered by House Energy Committee
Updates and Alerts WVSORO January 27, 2018
A "co-tenancy" bill (HB 4268) is now being considered by the House Energy Committee. HB 4268 is problematic in a number of ways which we've outlined here. Please contact members of the House Energy Committee and voice your concerns about HB 4268. Urge them to prioritize other legislation before them that will help those most affect by drilling and natural gas infrastructure. More
Issues: Eminent domain, Fence-line monitoring, Horizontal wells, Pipelines, Pooling

Legislative Update and Thank YOU; Fracking Guide and Webinar
Updates and Alerts Julie Archer April 8, 2017
Today is the last day of the 2017 legislative session. You've probably heard that the industry's re-branded forced pooling legislation (SB 576) was officially declared dead earlier in the week by the chair of the House Energy Committee. More
Issues: Fracking, Land re-union, Pooling

Public Hearing Monday on Forced Pooling Bill
Updates and Alerts Julie Archer April 1, 2017
The House Energy Committee will hold a public hearing on the forced pooling bill (SB 576) Monday, April 3 from 9AM to 10AM in the House Chamber. Read this post for more details and talking points about the bill. More
Issues: Leasing, Minerals-Royalties, Pooling

Forced Pooling, Land Reunion Bills Advancing
Updates and Alerts Julie Archer March 26, 2017
WV-SORO continues to oppose the latest version of the forced pooling legislation (SB 576), although we appreciate efforts to improve it. Our concerns are outlined here. We're glad to report our 'land reunion' bill (SB 369) is moving and we're hopeful it will be passed by the Senate later this week. More
Issues: Land re-union, Land use, Minerals-Royalties, Pooling

Forced Pooling Bill Taken Up by Senate Committee
Updates and Alerts Julie Archer March 20, 2017
Hopefully folks recognized the typo in the earlier version of this update for what it was. Tell your legislators NOT to pass laws that help the industry at the expense of West Virginia landowners. Thank you for taking action! More

Forced Pooling Bill Taken Up by Senate Committee
Updates and Alerts Julie Archer March 19, 2017
The forced pooling bill was taken up the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the House of Delegates bills were introduced to require fence-line monitoring of pollution from horizontal drilling sites and improve compensation for landowners in eminent domain proceedings. The House passed an amended version of a bill regulating aboveground storage tanks. More
Issues: Eminent domain, Fence-line monitoring, Pipelines, Pollution, Pooling

New Forced Pooling Bill Introduced in the Senate
Updates and Alerts Julie Archer March 12, 2017
A new forced pooling bill, SB 576, was introduced in the state Senate. The devil is in the details and SB 576 is one of the worst bills yet introduced. We also have news on aboveground storage tank and pipeline legislation, as well as our "Land Reunion" act. More
Issues: Eminent domain, Land re-union, Leasing, Pipelines, Pollution, Pooling, Water

“Right to Trespass” Bill Introduced in the House
Updates and Alerts Julie Archer February 24, 2017
Please contact House Energy Committee members and your delegates and tell them to oppose this attempt to take away the property rights of West Virginians. More
Issues: Eminent domain, Fence-line monitoring, Land re-union, Orphaned wells, Pipelines

Take Action: Zombie Bills to Aid Drillers Are Back
Updates and Alerts Julie Archer February 14, 2017
As we anticipated, some bad bills that aid drillers at the expense of West Virginia landowners — bills that were either soundly defeated or stalled a different points in the legislative process in 2016 — are starting to reemerge this session. Tell your Senators to oppose these shameful attempts to take away the property rights of West Virginians. More
Issues: Eminent domain, Leasing, Minerals-Royalties, Pipelines, Pooling

WV-SORO 2017 Legislative Priorities
Blog Julie Archer February 8, 2017
WV-SORO will again be pushing for legislation to have the property rights of surface owners recognized and respected, to increase their chances of owning some of the minerals under them, and to deal with orphaned wells and other environmental problems. We will also be actively opposing legislation the industry introduces (out of its sense of entitlement) that will harm the interests of surface owners. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Fence-line monitoring, Land re-union, Orphaned wells, Pollution

Surface Owners’ News – Winter 2017
Newsletter Julie Archer February 8, 2017
We know it's been a while since you've heard from us. As the 2017 legislative session gets underway, we wanted to let you know what we've been up to and what we'll be focusing on for the next 60 days. More
Issues: Abandoned wells, Drilling waste, Land re-union, Legislation, Nuisance suits, Pollution

In Court: WV-SORO Litigation Update
Blog Julie Archer February 7, 2017
Here is a brief update on some court cases we've been involved in or monitoring that affect West Virginia surface owners. Because one-third of WV-SORO members also own an interest in their underlying minerals, so we are including updates on cases that affect some mineral owners. More
Issues: Coal bed methane, Eminent domain, Leasing, Minerals-Royalties, Partition suits, Pipelines

Zombie Bills? Bad Bills to Aid Drillers Could Be Back in 2017
Blog Julie Archer February 6, 2017
Several bad bills that help oil and gas drillers at the expense of West Virginia landowners could be back during the 2017 legislative session. These include efforts to take away citizens ability to bring nuisance suits, give pipeline companies the right to survey people's land without their permission, and one-sided forced pooling bills (AKA joint development). More
Issues: Eminent domain, Nuisance suits, Pipelines, Pooling

Partition Decision by Circuit Court Judge Favors Mineral Owner
Partition Suit Advice WVSORO January 23, 2017
A new decision in E[Q]T Bluegrass vs. Blaney, Johnson and others has been issued by a Ritchie (and Doddridge and Pleasants) County Circuit Court Judge Sweeney. It favors a mineral owner over a driller. More
Issues: Partition suits, Pooling

Court Approves Drilling Waste Settlement with EPA
Press Release Julie Archer December 29, 2016
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia formally approved a consent decree between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a coalition of community and environmental organizations. which requires the agency to review and, if necessary, revise its rules for the disposal and handling of dangerous and harmful oil and gas wastes, such as those that result from drilling and fracking. More
Issues: Drilling waste, EPA, Fracking, Pollution

Eminent Domain Update
Pipeline Advice WVSORO December 16, 2016
In November 2016, The West Virginia Supreme Court has upheld the Monroe County Circuit Court judge saying Mountain Valley transmission pipeline conveying gas only out of State is not for a "public purpose" to West Virginians and so cannot use eminent domain (and cannot force access for surveying) More
Issues: Eminent domain, Pipelines

West Virginia Supreme Court cites WVSORO “amicus brief” regarding ownership of coalbed methane
Blog WVSORO December 16, 2016
The West Virginia Supreme Court ruled in the Moss case in 2003 that leases and deeds that granted or reserved rights to “oil and gas” or “natural gas” did not automatically give or reserve rights to coalbed methane More
Issues: Coal bed methane

WVSORO 2017 Legislative Proposals
Blog WVSORO December 11, 2016
WVSORO will again be pushing for legislation to have the property rights of surface owners recognized, to increase their chances of owning some of the minerals under them, and to deal with orphaned wells and other environmental problems, etc. More
Issues: Fence-line monitoring, Horizontal wells, Land re-union, Legislation, Orphaned wells, Tax sales

The West Virginia Land Reunion Song
Blog WVSORO December 9, 2016
In the early 1980's a surge of conventional well drilling occurred in West Virginia in reaction to first the Arab Oil Embargo and then the Iranian Hostage Crisis. The surge in drilling resulted in gross abuses of surface owners. More
Issues: Land re-union, Legislation, Nuisance suits