WV Senate Passes Permit Transfer Legislation
As reported by The State Journal, the West Virginia Senate has passed Senate Bill 280 (“SB 280”) which, if it becomes effective, would allow the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to transfer well work permits from one business entity to another, a process that has been previously prohibited by State Code. SB 280 was ultimately pushed in favor of Southwestern Energy, a company that has invested more than $5 billion to purchase wells in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. To become effective legislation, SB 280 must first pass through West Virginia House of Representatives before ultimately needing the approval of West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.