SB 120 — Establishing priorities for expenditures for plugging abandoned gas or oil wells

SBSB120 120HFAT TextAnderson skip3-6 navigationAkers SENATE3254 PRESIDENT  SENATORSDelegate COMMITTEESAnderson VIDEO/AUDIOmoves DISTRICTto MAPSamend SENATEthe CLERKcommittee SENATEsubstitute RULESfor HOUSEthe SPEAKERbill DELEGATESby COMMITTEESstriking VIDEO/AUDIOout DISTRICTthe MAPStitle HOUSEand CLERKsubstituting HOUSEtherefor RULESa HOUSEnew STAFFtitle, JOINTto INTERIMread COMMITTEESas LEGISLATIVEfollows: ADMINISTRATOR LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION PUBLIC INFORMATION LEGISLATIVE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS DIVISION LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION & RESEARCH DIVISION POST AUDIT DIVISION BUDGET DIVISION REGULATORY AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION CLAIMS COMMISSION CRIME VICTIMS RULE-MAKING REVIEW SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS JUDICIAL COMP.

COMMISSION  JOINTCom. RULES STAFF INFO BILL STATUS BILL STATUS BILL TRACKING STATE LAW WEST VIRGINIA CODE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE CODE OF 1931 WV CONSTITUTION US CONSTITUTION REPORTS AGENCY REPORTS AGENCY GRANT AWARDS PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS POST AUDITS EDUCATIONAL CITIZEN’S GUIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PAGE PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS PHOTO GALLERY CAPITOL HISTORY HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW CONTACT SENATE ROSTER HOUSE ROSTER PUBLIC INFO.

NEWSSub. RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS Enrolled Version - Final Version « Senate Bill 120 History OTHER VERSIONS  —  Committee Substitute (1)  |  Introduced Version  |   |  Email Key:

GreenFor =S. existing Code.

RedB. = new code to be enacted WEST virginia legislature regular session Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 120 Senators Romano, Facemire, Jeffries and Rucker, original sponsors [Passed March 7, 2020;

in120 effect- 90 “A daysBILL from passage]     AN ACT to amend and reenact §22-10-6 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to the establishment of priorities for expenditures for plugging abandoned oil and gas wells;

requiring that a bond posted for a well shall first be used to plug the well and mitigate environmental issues related to oil and gas development on the land where the well is located, if the bond is forfeited as a result of failure to plug the abandoned well, repair the well that is causing immediate threat to the environment, or which hinders or impedes the development of mineral resources of this state, or the well operator was cited for and then failed to correct an immediate threat to the environment or hinderance or impediment to the development of mineral resources of this state, or the operator failed to reclaim the surface disturbance causing immediate threat to the environment or which hinders or impedes the development of mineral resources of this state.state.”     Adopted Rejected  

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 10.

ABANDONED WELL ACT.

§22-10-6.

Establishment of priorities for plugging expenditures.

(a) The director shall promulgate legislative rules establishing a priority system by which available funds from the Oil and Gas Reclamation Fund, established pursuant to §22-6-29 of this code, will be expended to plug abandoned wells.

The rules shall, at a minimum, establish three primary classifications to be as follows:

(1) Wells which are an immediate threat to the environment or which may hinder or impede the development of mineral resources of this state so as to require immediate plugging;

(2) Wells which are not an immediate threat to the environment or which do not hinder or impede the development of mineral resources of this state, but which should be plugged consistent with available resources;

and (3) Wells which are not a threat to the environment and which do not hinder or impede the development of mineral resources of this state and for which plugging may be deferred for an indefinite period.

(b) The classifications shall, among other things, take into consideration the following factors, as appropriate:

(1) The age of the well;

(2) The length of time the well has been abandoned;

(3) The casing remaining in the well;

(4) The presence of any leaks either at the surface or underground;

(5) The possibility or existence of groundwater contamination;

(6) Whether the well is located in an area to be developed for enhanced recovery;

(7) Whether the well hinders or impedes mineral development;

and (8) Whether the well is located in close proximity to population.

(c) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, the bond posted for the well shall first be used to plug the well and mitigate environmental issues related to oil and gas development on the land where the well is located if:

(1) The bond is forfeited as a result of failure to plug the abandoned well, repair the well that is causing immediate threat to the environment, or which hinders or impedes the development of mineral resources of this state;

or (2) The well operator was cited for and then failed to correct an immediate threat to the environment or hinderance or impediment to the development of mineral resources of this state;

or (3) The operator failed to reclaim the surface disturbance causing immediate threat to the environment or which hinders or impedes the development of mineral resources of this state.

    Bill Status  |  Bill Tracking  |  Legacy WV Code  |  Bulletin Board  |  District Maps  |  Senate Roster  |  House Roster  |  Live  |  Blog  |  Jobs  |  Links  |  Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.

 |  Terms of Use  |   Webmaster   |   © 2026 West Virginia Legislature ** Print On Demand Name:

Email:

Phone: