January 8, 2009

Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4PM ~ Legislative Committee to Consider Surface Owners' Bill of Rights

We will be making the case for the Surface Owners' Bill of Rights this Sunday, January 11 at 4PM at the State Capitol in Charleston. The committee studying our bill has set aside 30 minutes to hear from landowners about the problems they have experienced in their dealings with drillers. The industry will have 30 minutes, then the committee will take up and consider our proposed bill. The committee will be meeting in the  House Judiciary Committee meeting room (410-M) at the State Capitol Building in Charleston.

The number of speakers is limited due to time constraints and we have already have some surface owners lined up to share their story.  However, we hope many of you will turn out to show your support for your fellow surface owners and the Surface Owners' Bill of Rights.

If you can’t make it Charleston and your legislator(s) serves on the study committee, please contact them at home Friday or Saturday. (A list of committee members along with their home county and phone number is included below.) Tell them what happened to you and what you think should be done to protect surface owners from industry abuses.  Tell them to support the Surface Owners' Bill of Rights. This is an important first step in getting our bill passed this legislative session.

For those who can make the meeting, we'll gather at the Upper Rotunda (Well) starting at 3:30PM. The committee will be meeting in the  House Judiciary Committee meeting room (410-M) at 4PM.

For more information call (304) 346-5891 or e-mail Norm (norm@wvsoro.org) or Julie (julie@wvsoro.org).

Judiciary Subcommittee A

Senate Members
Senator Jeff Kessler (D-Marshall) (304) 843-1386
Senator Truman Chafin (D-Logan) (304) 235-6123
Senator Don Caruth  (R-Mercer) (304) 384-9642
Senator Frank Deem (D-Wood) (304) 295-6593
Senator Dan Foster (D-Kanawha)  (304) 344-1060
Senator Jon Blair Hunter (D-Monongalia) (304) 291-3782
Senator Ron Stollings (D-Boone) (304) 369-6194
Senator Joseph Minard (D-Harrison) (304) 622-6488
Senator Randy White, Chair (D-Webster) (304) 847-7489
Senator John Yoder (R-Jefferson) (304) 535-6842

House Members
Delegate Tim Miley, Chair (D-Harrison) (304) 848-0102
Delegate Carrie Webster (D-Kanawha) (304) 342-1013
Delegate Mike Burdiss (D-Wyoming) (304) 294-4491
Delegate John Ellem (R- Wood) (304) 863-0375
Delegate Bill Hamilton (R-Upshur) (304) 472-1966
Delegate Virginia Mahan (D-Summers) (304) 466-4980
Delegate Alex Shook (D-Monongalia) (304) 685-9094
Delegate Scott Varner (D-Marshall) (304) 845-0091