Business, Government Legal News from throughout WVHouse passes amended Marcellus shale bill

House passes amended Marcellus shale bill

Somewhat begrudgingly, members of the West Virginia House passed legislation regulating the Marcellus shale industry Wednesday morning.

Prior to passage of the bill, Del. Mike Manypenny, D-Taylor, voted to strike the governor's bill and instead vote for passage of the bill drafted by the Joint Select Committee on Marcellus Shale. Manypenny said the bill was in many respects inadequate.

"We came down here expecting a bill," Manypenny said. "We expected a bill that was similar to what the Joint Select Committee on Marcellus brought out of committee, and we got something that stripped most of the rights and surface owners out of the bill."

Manypenny criticized the governor's bill as an effort drafted in back rooms without the critical public eye.

"We didn't come down here to do the governor's work," Manypenny said. "We came down here to do the people's work."

Manypenny wasn't the only member of the Joint Select Committee who felt the bill was skewed back to the favor of industry by the Governor's staff. Del. Tim Manchin, co-chair of the committee rose to speak to the floor, spending several minutes highlighting what he thought was still wrong with the bill.

"The path on this bill has been torturous, to say the least," Manchin told lawmakers.

Several lawmakers commented that the bill was not what they wanted, but it was "better than nothing." At least one, Del. Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, said regulations should remain as they are and urged passage of no Marcellus shale legislation.

The bill passed the House 92-5.