The State Senate convened the Second Regular Session of the 80th Legislature today at noon. After establishing a quorum, the Senate introduced 159 bills.
The body then adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 1, which extends a formal invitation to the Governor to deliver the State of the State Address tonight at 7 P.M.
The Senate is in recess until 6:50 P.M.
This afternoon, both the House and the Senate passed amended House Bill 401, which establishes the Natural Gas Horizontal Wells Control Act.
During a lengthy House Judiciary Committee meeting yesterday, committee members combined the Senate’s version of the bill, Senate Bill 4001, into their bill along with some other, minor amendments.
The amended bill passed unanimously in the Senate and passed the House with a 94-5 vote.
House Bill 401 increases fees from $400 per well to $10,000 for the first well and $5,000 for each additional well on a single pad. This increase will allow the hiring of at least 17 more inspectors to inspect and review permits. It also requires that at least one week’s notice be given to surface owners before an operator can survey the property and that the surface owner gets a copy of the permit application and other documents which show not only the proposed drilling location but also road and impoundment locations. Surface owners, as well as the public, will also be allowed to comment on the permits. An operator must publish a notice in the local newspaper in the county that the drilling will occur on or before filing a permit application. Operators must also enter into an agreement with the Department of Highways (DOH) in order to repair any roads harmed and to also post performance bonds.
Significant additions to permit requirements were also included in the bill. These additions include a sediment control plan, well site construction and safety plan, and a water management plan that includes proposed water withdrawal locations. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been given broad authority regarding distributing these permits.
A concern raised during the House Judiciary’s public hearing Monday was the safety of the publics’ water wells. One safeguard to combat this fear is a 500 foot increase over the current law for the presumption of contamination for water wells. Also, all fracking additives must be disclosed to the DEP as well as adding safeguards for well casings and drilling in karst terrain. This terrain includes exposed, mechanically and chemically weathered and eroded limestone landscape that may contain sinkholes, caves, and other features.
Lastly, House Bill 401 requires studies for air, pits and impoundments, noise, and job creation be implemented.
Both the House and the Senate adjourned Sine Die.
The Senate passed House Bill 401, which establishes the Natural Gas Horizontal Wells Control Act, during a brief afternoon floor session.
This legislation, which is identical to the bill the Senate passed yesterday, save for seven minor amendments, completes action on new rules and permit fees for gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale.
The measure sets minimum distances between wells and such things as houses, drinking wells and public water structures. It also spells out when developers should provide prior notices to affected surface property owners. The bill also calls for $10,000 permit fees for initial wells and $5,000 fees for each well added to that site.
The Senate has adjourned Sine Die
West Virginia House of Delegates members meeting on the fourth day of the Fourth Special Session of 2011 passed House Bill 401, which would establish the Natural Gas Horizontal Wells Control Act by a vote of 92-5. The bill was amended by the House Judiciary Committee and those amendments were approved by a voice vote on the floor prior to passage.
The measure now must go to the West Virginia state Senate for its consideration.
The House is in recess until 1:00 p.m. later today.
Following a lengthy House Judiciary Committee meeting and discussion regarding House Bill 401, which would establish the Natural Gas Horizontal Wells Control Act, the bill was reported to the House floor, read a second time and advanced to third reading with amendments pending and a general right to amend.
Also, a message from the Senate regarding that body’s passage of Senate Bill 4001, which pertains to the regulation of oil and gas wells, was taken up for immediate consideration and the bill was read a first time and advanced to second reading.
The House is adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 at 10 a.m.
The Senate amended and passed Senate Bill 4001, which pertains to the regulation of oil and gas wells, during a late morning floor session.
The Senate made some technical amendments to the bill before suspending the constitutional rules requiring a bill be read on three separate days. Following the suspension of the rules, the bill was read a third time and passed.
The Senate has adjourned until 11 a.m. tomorrow.
Members of the House of Delegates held a brief floor session to announce committee meeting times for further discussion of the Marcellus Shale legislation, House Bill 401 which would establish the Natural Gas Horizontal Wells Control Act. This bill was read a first time Sunday, December 11th, prior to being referred to the House Judiciary Committee where it awaits legislative action.
Following the floor session the House Judiciary Committee held a public hearing beginning at 4:30 p.m. to allow public comment regarding House Bill 401. Nearly 70 speakers spoke, in equal numbers for and against the measure, for nearly two hours before the meeting was adjourned.
The House stands adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.
The House Judiciary Committee will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. to begin deliberations on House Bill 401
The body received the Senate Judiciary’s committee report with its recommendation for the passage of Senate Bill 4001 during a brief afternoon floor session.
The bill, which would regulate oil and gas wells, was then read a first time and advanced to the Senate Finance Committee.
The Senate Finance Committee is currently meeting in Room 451M
The Senate is in recess until 6 p.m.
UPDATE
The Senate met briefly this evening to receive the Senate Finance’s committee report with its recommendation for the passage of Senate Bill 4001.
The Senate has adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.
Members of both the West Virginia House of Delegates and West Virginia state Senate met Sunday, December 11th, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. to begin the work of the 4th Extraordinary Session of the 80th West Virginia Legislature in 2011.
Members from both bodies will be discussing legislation to regulate oil and gas wells as they relate to the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry. The House of Delegates introduced House Bill 401 which would establish the Natural Gas Horizontal Wells Control Act. This bill was read a first time prior to being referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
Senators introduced Senate Bill 4001 which would regulate oil and gas wells. This bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee with a second committee reference to the Senate Finance Committee.
The Senate is adjourned until 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, December 12th, 2011.
The House is adjourned until 4:00 p.m. tomorrow, Monday, December 12th, 2011.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet tomorrow, December 12th, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.
The House Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing tomorrow, Monday, December 12th, 2011 in the House Chamber at 4:30 p.m. to discuss House Bill 401.
The Senate confirmed all of the Governor’s appointments during a brief morning floor session that concluded the 3rd Special Session of 2011.
The Senate has adjourned Sine Die.
