The vote in the West Virginia House of Delegates on HB401 was 92 yeas to 5 nays, and I voted yea.
My concerns were to balance the legitimate interests and needs of the gas and oil industry, the safety of our environment, and the property rights and privileges of surface owners and residents.
Although I agree that the further development of Marcellus Shale in West Virginia will help our nation become more energy independent and perhaps also foster an economic boom for all of West Virginia, the final version of the bill still fell somewhat short, in my opinion, of giving enough protection to the rights and privileges of property owners and residents.
Even so, the adoption of Delegate Woody Ireland's proposal to have monitoring and oversight of possible disruptive effects upon residents from drilling for Marcellus gas greatly enhanced the value of this legislation.
In summary, I came to the overall conclusion that HB 401 is a step in the right direction and voted accordingly.
Footnote: Click on "WV State Legislature" under "Links" on the right hand side of this webpage, to search for more specifics about this legislation.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Marcellus & Woody (HB 401)
The legislation to regulate drilling into huge natural gas deposits of "Marcellus Shale" in West Virginia was intensely debated and approved by a Special Session of the West Virginia Legislature.
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The debate over the Marcellus Shale and the Charleston Mafia's (Gov. Tomblin, et al.) response to the committee's recommendations are to be expected. The very reason West Virginia was formed was an end run by out of state interests to separate the natural resources from the people of Western Virginia. The War Between the States gave a good excuse and a popular one. However, the people traded one tyrant for another. The oil, lumber and coal interests, usually out of state, bought politicians by the ton. Hence, favorable laws allowed them to trample the rights of the average Mountaineer: life, liberty and property.
ReplyDeleteSome things never change, hope Earl Ray and his buddies are happy. I'm sure the pay-offs, skim and kickbacks are making THEM wealthy. Once again, West Virginians are robbed of life, liberty and property. The wealth of West Virginia's natural resources has been known since about 1820. Adding this to the wilderness and tourism, we have the ability to make West Virginians well off. Come on Charleston, become the leaders you CLAIM you are.