WV Forced Pooling Bill HB2688 – Good or Bad for Landowners?

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bad pennyLike a bad penny that keeps turning up, a forced pooling law in West Virginia keeps returning. Every year from 2009-2014 forced pooling legislation has been introduced, and ultimately defeated, in the WV legislature. We’ve covered the issue for years. Once again a new bill has popped up. House Bill (HB) 2688 was introduced by Delegate Lynwood Ireland (Chairman of the House Energy Committee) and co-sponsored by Delegates William Anderson (Speaker Pro-Tempore) and George Ambler. All three are Republicans. The bill has already passed the House Energy Committee and currently sits with the House Judiciary Committee for review. It may move fast or it may move slowly. Proponents of the bill say, in essence, this time the bill is different. There are compromises and provisions to protect both surface and sub-surface landowners. The interesting thing to MDN is that the West Virginia Royalty Owners Association is now on board and supporting the bill. Below we tackle this thorny issue once again. We have the full text of the bill as proposed, along with reaction to it, and our own thoughts…

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