WV Land Owners
Please Contact Our Representatives to Oppose Forced Pooling House Bill 2688 (HB 2688)
Dear Fellow West Virginia Land & Mineral Owners,
House Bill 2688 (HB 2688) hasn’t passed in the House or Senate yet. It was just passed by the House Energy Committee yesterday so it will now go to the House floor for a vote, maybe as soon as next week. Then the Senate will vote on it. So, there is still time for us to stop this bill!
Please contact your local representatives:
Every West Virginian and anyone who owns property in West Virginia on this site especially should be contacting their local representatives to oppose this bill. It is a bad bill.
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Districts/maps.cfm
Scroll down on the link above and contact your House district representatives first and then your Senate district representative.
Here is a drafted letter that I urge you to send to each representative:
"As a land and mineral owner in County, WV, I am writing to inform you of my opposition to any legislation, more specifically HB 2688, that supports and advances the practice of seizure of private property in the form of 'unitization', 'lease integration', or 'forced pooling' of my privately held mineral rights.
Todd
The bill is now off of the agenda for the House Judiciary Committee this week thanks in large part to the efforts of Delegate Pat McGeehan. Please take the time to thank Pat. He told the House Speaker that he is prepared to speak for hours on the landowners behalf to stop the bill. But make no mistake, the fight is not over as there are plenty of votes to pass the bill if we the public don't speak up and make it clear that we will not have our property rights compromised.
Pat McGeehan (R - Hancock, 01)
CONTACT
pat.mcgeehan@wvhouse.gov Capitol Office: Room 226E, Building 1 State Capitol Complex Charleston, WV 25305 Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3397 Home: 616 Florida Avenue #5 Chester, WV, 26034 Home Phone: (304) 374-7018 Business Phone: (304) 374-7018
On the other hand, these two members of the Senate (Craig Blair and Mitch Carmichael) need to hear from those of us that oppose the bill as they have indicated that they don't mind the bill as it helps the Oil and Gas industry. But at what cost -- the cost of the rights of private landowners and their negotiating power.
Craig Blair (R - Berkeley, 15)
CONTACT
craig@craigblair.com Capitol Office: Room 217W, Building 1 State Capitol Complex Charleston, WV 25305 Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7867 Home: 47 Wasser Drive Martinsburg, WV, 25403 Home Phone: (304) 754-5040 Business Phone: (304) 754-9031
Mitch Carmichael (R - Jackson, 04)
Majority Leader
CONTACT
Mitch.Carmichael@wvsenate.gov Capitol Office: Room 227M, Building 1 State Capitol Complex Charleston, WV 25305 Capitol Phone: (304) 357-7855 Home: 18 Colonial Drive Ripley, WV, 25271 Home Phone: (304) 372-4667 Business Phone: (304) 372-4667
Feb 18, 2015