West Virginia Legislation Authorizing New Regulations and Trade Secrets Awaits Governor's Signature

The West Virginia legislature has passed Senate Bill 243, the legislation which authorizes the Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Oil and Gas (OOG), to promulgate the pending Horizontal Well Act regulations.  According to the West Virginia Legislature’s bill tracking tool, Senate Bill 243 currently awaits Governor Tomblin’s signature.  Notably, this bill includes a measure that would allow an operator to designate certain information regarding hydraulic fracturing chemicals as trade secret when filling out a well completion report.  The trade secret measure compels the operator to share the information designated as trade secret with health professionals or the OOG in the event of a medical emergency or an investigation by the OOG.