Public Hearings on Marcellus Drilling

Public hearings sponsored by the House members of the Legislature's Select Committee on Marcellus Shale begin this week.

This is your chance to tell the Legislature in person what you would like to see in a bill regulating natural gas drilling in West Virginia!
 
The first hearing is this Thursday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at West Virginia Northern Community College's B&O Building, 1704 Market St.,Wheeling.
 
The second hearing is Monday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Morgantown at the West Virginia University College of Law.
 
The final hearing is Wednesday, July 27 in Clarksburg. The time and location for the Clarksburg meeting aren’t set yet, so we will update you on those details as soon as they are available.
 
These public hearings are scheduled to last only 90 minutes, and the amount of time allotted to individual speakers will be allocated according to how many citizens want to speak.  So get there early and sign up. 
 
Legislators are looking for specific suggestions as to what should be included in a regulatory bill. You can help ensure that your particular concerns are considered in these new drilling regulations. 


Please consider attending one of the hearings and sharing your thoughts and concerns.

If you are unable to attend, please contact members of the select committee today (see below).

You can also call legislators’ Capitol offices Toll Free at 1-877-565-3447.

Senators:

Doug Facemire, D-Braxton, Chair     douglas.facemire@wvsenate.gov

    Home: 304 765 2231   Biz: 304 364 9903   Capitol: 304 357 7845


Karen Facemeyer R-Jackson   karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov

    Home: 304 372 2260   Biz: 304 428 1622   Capitol: 304 357 7855


Corey Polumbo D-Kanawha    corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov

    Home: 304 746 7933   Biz: 304 347 1781   Capitol: 304 357 7880


Herb Snyder D-Jefferson    herb.snyder@wvsenate.gov

    Home: 304 725 4529   Biz: 304 725 6174   Capitol: 304 357 7957  


Orphy Klempa D-Ohio        orphy.klempa@wvsenate.gov

    Home: 304 242 9200   Biz: 304 233 2500   Capitol: 304 357 7918


Delegates:

Tim Manchin, D-Marion, Chair   tmanchin@manchin-aloi.com

   Home: 304 363 5613   Biz: 304 367 1862 Capitol: 304 340 3166


Barbara Fleischauer D-Monongalia   barbaraf@wvhouse.gov

   Home: NA   Biz: 304 296 7035   Capitol: 304 340 3169


Tom Campbell, D-Greenbrier   tcampbell@grcs.com

   Home: 304 793 3976   Biz: 304 793 3976   Capitol: 304 340 3280


Woody Ireland, R-Ritchie woody.ireland@wvhouse.gov

   Home: 304 349 2957   Biz: NA   Capitol 304 340 3195


Bill Anderson, R-Wood   bill.anderson@wvhouse.gov

   Home: 304 375 7880   Biz: NA   Capitol 304 340 3168


Collectively, here are the email addresses for all ten:

douglas.facemire@wvsenate.gov; karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov; corey.palumbo@wvsenate.gov;

herb.snyder@wvsenate.gov; orphy.klempa@wvsenate.gov; tmanchin@manchin-aloi.com;

barbaraf@wvhouse.gov; tcampbell@grcs.com; woody.ireland@wvhouse.gov;

bill.anderson@wvhouse.gov


Here are the top needs for a meaningful Marcellus bill:

1. Advance public notice of all stages in permitting and drilling

2. Adequate permit fees and bonding amounts

3. Protection of surface owners’ property and rights

4. Water withdrawal and disposal monitoring and permitting to protect streams and rivers

5. Enhance inspection of casing/cementing as critical for groundwater protection

6. Full protection of all water wells, with adequate setbacks and testing

7. Increased funding for more inspectors to assure safe practices

8. Reform method of certifying and selecting new gas inspectors

9. Removal and proper disposal of drilling pits

10. Disclosure of fracking fluid contents and safety plans for accidents

11. Protect public lands: state parks, wildlife areas, and state forests


Please see “Essential Elements Needed for Regulation and Enforcement of Marcellus and Other Gas Wells”.  Feel free to print and distribute copies to legislators and concerned citizens.  Acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has said publicly that he would call a Special Session to deal with a Marcellus bill if the House and Senate could reach agreement on a bill.  Make sure your ideas are part of that agreement.  Thank you for taking action.




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