Don't Tread On Me...Too Much
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Conservation groups and the oil and gas industry have collaborated on new legislation to help the West Virginia "track the tracks" made by the industry in state forests. Attorney Dave McMahon says developers need some guidance on how to leave a smaller footprint when building roads around their drilling projects.
"With the increase in gas prices and low interest rates now, there's a lot of drilling going on. And production has gone out there and done a lot of things that we think are more than is 'fairly necessary.'"
Even when oil and gas companies say they want to treat fragile forest areas delicately, McMahon believes the industry's fast pace can lead to mistakes.
"Have they conveyed what they want to do the contractor who hired the guy who's sitting on the bulldozer? And it takes a good deal of supervision to make sure it's done right."
The bill requires advance state and public notification of road-related work. It was developed as a result of problems documented in the Kanawha State Forest, and a Senate committee then expanded it to include all state forests. The bill is currently being considered in the House.
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