Bill Sponsor Says It’s Now or Never for WV Forced Pooling Law

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At 11 pm on the last day of the 2015 legislative session in West Virginia, a session that lasts only 60 days at the beginning of each year, the WV legislature voted down what everyone thought was a sure thing to pass–House Bill (HB) 2688, otherwise known as the forced pooling bill (see The Real Story of Why Forced Pooling Bill Failed in WV). As we reported at the time, it was defeated by Democrats who had their knickers in a twist over another bill they wanted passed that Republicans defeated. So the Dems decided to give as good as they got and voted down HB2688 in retribution. Last March, following the negative vote, we said this: “Forced pooling is a dead issue in WV this year. Will it be back next year? You can bank on it.” And back it is. The Republican chairman of the House Energy Committee, Lynwood “Woody” Ireland believes a new version of the forced pooling bill is as fair as it gets for both landowners and drillers. Ireland also believes if the bill doesn’t pass this year, it is likely a dead issue–period. It’s “now or never” for a forced pooling bill in WV…

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