Breakdown of WV’s $188M Severance Tax & Where it Goes
In April MDN shared the news that severance tax collections in West Virginia doubled in 2014 over 2013. We also told you that a paltry 7.5% of what’s collected actually stays in the counties where the drilling happens (see WV Severance Tax Doubles in 2014, 90% Disappears in Charleston). We have more of a breakdown for which counties raised what in severance tax in 2014 below. The interesting thing to MDN is this: Even though Charleston steals 90% of the money to redistribute as they see fit, Marcellus and Utica drilling in places like Wetzel County have lifted that county out of economic depression. Which goes to show that it’s not government showering select groups and geographies with money that creates wealth. It’s the private sector–the oil and gas industry–that is the engine of economic growth and wealth in this country…
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GreenHunter Resources continues to aggressively push back against the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) with respect to barging brine from shale wells. Yesterday was the latest flare-up in the war of words between GreenHunter and the USCG. Once again GreenHunter COO Kirk Trosclair said the way they read the rules, they have permission under existing 1987 rules to barge it. And once again the USCG said no you don’t–not until we say you do. The latest twist is that the USCG says that brine might have high levels of radioactivity and so now the Dept. of Homeland Security is reviewing the whole matter. Which is a neat way of corrupting the issue–just claim there’s a national security issue and that shuts it all down. Still, GreenHunter is committed to begin barge shipments this year. However, we also learned yesterday that those shipments will not originate at GreenHunter’s proposed facility near Wheeling, WV…