This West Virginia Legislative Session is a stressful time for property owners. We expect the swamp dwellers of the legislature to introduce Right-to-Trespass and Forced Pooling (probably in disguise as “Co-tenancy”) bills at any time.

Will it be my senator or delegate who sponsors 2018’s Forced Pooling bill?

How bad is it going to be this year? Will they be trying to steal from one third of mineral rights owners, or one fourth?

Is this the year the politicians working for out-of-state gas companies finally legalize trespass and theft? After all these years of mineral rights owners fighting tooth and nail to stop it?

The truth is, our legislators know how West Virginians feel about Forced Pooling (co-tenancy, joint development, unitization… with-or-without “commissions” to decide how much to steal and at what low-ball price). They know their voters are against land grabs for oil and gas companies.

That’s why we want to applaud Delegate Michael Folk and Delegate Pat McGeehan for introducing HB 2131 “[p]rohibiting the state from requiring persons with oil or gas rights connected to deep oil or gas wells to involuntarily integrate their interests.”

Take a few minutes to contact the House Energy Committee and let them know you like this bill, you think it should pass, and you would love to see more legislation protecting property owners instead of attacking them.

House Energy Committee Members

Bill Anderson, Chair: bill.anderson@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3168; (304) 375-7880

John Kelly, Vice Chair (Oil and Gas): john.kelly@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3394; (304) 428-2846; (304) 340-3394

Mark Zatezalo, Vice Chair (Coal): mark.zatezalo@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3120; (304) 748-1624; (304) 491-0937

Dave Pethtel, Minority Chair: dave.pethtel@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3158; (304) 775-5472

Jeff Eldridge, Minority Vice-Chair: jeff.eldridge@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3113; (304) 756-3817; (304) 928-9728

Brent Boggs: brent.boggs@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3142; (304) 364-8411

Mike Caputo: mike.caputo@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3249; (304) 278-5419; (304) 363-7500

Bill Hamilton: bill.hamilton@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3167; (304) 472-1966

Jason Harshbarger: jason.harshbarger@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3195; (304) 659-2203; (304) 669-5007

Kenneth Hicks: ken.hicks@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3155; (304) 453-3523; (304) 525-3201

Joshua Higginbotham: joshua.higginbotham@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3118; (no home number given); (304) 881-1864

Kayla Kessinger: kayla.kessinger@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3197; (304) 719-7636

Dana Lynch: dana.lynch@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3916; (304) 847-7233

Justin Marcum: justin.marcum@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3126; (304) 235-1475

Patrick Martin: patrick.martin@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3123; (304) 613-2327

Zack Maynard: zack.maynard@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3152; (304) 885-1555

Tim Miley: tim.miley@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3240; (304) 848-0102; (304) 326-1800

Tony Paynter: tony.paynter@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3163; (304) 894-4647

Rupert Phillips: rupert.phillips@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3174; (304) 687-9793; (304) 687-9793

Roger Romine: roger.romine@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3226; (304) 771-0018

Joe Statler: joe.statler@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3900; (304) 376-7336

Erikka Storch: erikka.storch@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3378; (304) 232-9494; (304) 233-2575

Terri Sypolt: terri.sypolt@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3160; (304) 290-1122

Jill Upson: jill.upson@wvhouse.gov; (304) 340-3366; (304) 728-9904

Guy Ward: guy.ward@wvhouse.gov; 304) 340-3331; (304) 366-2990