Under Senate Bill 618, approved by the West Virginia Senate Economic Development Committee on Feb. 19, 2024, only state carbon credits from real property or standing timber would be eligible for purchase, prompting criticism it s anti-property rights legislation. Senate Bill 618 is the latest in a string of attempts in the state Legislature to regulate forest carbon offset agreements.
The West Virginia Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee approved a bill that would target nonpayment of gas and oil royalties, but not before changing the terms of damages collection under the measure, House Bill 4292. HB 4292 is designed to address nonpayment of relatively small royalty payments from conventional vertical wells.
The West Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill, House Bill 5268, that would allow enhanced oil and gas recovery for horizontal well and drilling operations. The approval of the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia-backed legislation is one of many moves the Legislature has made this session to support the gas and oil industry.
West Virginia lawmakers, from U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to the state House Energy and Manufacturing Committee, are siding with and pushing pro-gas and oil industry measures despite heavy costs to consumers and taxpayers. Manchin has opposed a White House liquefied natural gas, or LNG, pause while state lawmakers have advanced bills aimed at protecting the industry.