February 2, 2009

Winter Newsletter Online

The Winter 2009 edition of Surface Owners' News is now available online.  Although several articles were taken from previous e-mail updates, new items include:

Links to audio (mp3) from the January 11, 2009 interim meeting and our recent meeting in Harrison County
Updated information and new resources on getting professional gas well timber damage appraisals
An update on state and federal legislative activity related to Marcellus Shale development and water quality

Calls Needed to Legislators ~ Committee May Take Up Surface Owners' Bill of Rights February 8

At the January interim meeting, Judiciary committee staff explained two bills, our proposed bill and a "committee " bill modeled after legislation passed recently in New Mexico. However, there were not enough committee members present to act on a bill. We have heard that both bills may be presented to the entire Joint Judiciary Committee when they meet on February 8. This means we need to keep the pressure on committee members to support OUR Surface Owners' Bill of Rights.

Thanks again to those of you who took the time to contact your legislators prior to the January meeting. Your calls and e-mails are making a difference — keep them coming!

If your legislator(s) serve on the Joint Judiciary Committee and you haven't contacted them, please do so. A few personal contacts from constituents can make the difference in whether or not our bill is recommended by the committee. A list of committee members along with their county and home phone numbers (where we had them) is on page 2 of the newsletter. 

In addition to making calls, we encourage those of you who can to attend the committee meeting February 8 at 2PM in the House Government Organization Committee meeting room (215-E) at the State Capitol in Charleston.