A fee for current day coal production that funds reclamation of mines abandoned before 1977.
Acquisition fee
A fee for securing an uncompetitive lease in place of a bonus.
Annual fee
A yearly maintenance fee for maintaining a claim.
Acquired lands
Acquired lands are public lands that were obtained by the federal government through purchase, condemnation, gift, or exchange.
Barrel
In the U.S., an oil barrel is defined as 42 US gallons, and abbreviated as bbl.
bbl
Abbreviation for a unit of measurement of oil. One bbl, or oil barrel, is defined as 42 US gallons.
Biomass
Organic nonfossil matter used as fuel. Sources of biomass include wood, wood waste products, biofuel, and many plant-based materials.
BLM
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and manages exploration, development, and production of natural resources on federal lands.
BOEM
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for managing the development of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
Bonus
The amount the highest bidder paid for a natural resource lease.
BSEE
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is charged with promoting safety, protecting the environment, and conserving resources offshore through regulatory oversight and enforcement.
Claim-staking fee
A fee that covers the government’s administrative costs in the claim-staking process for mining on federal lands.
Civil society
People and organizations not associated with industry or government, such as trade unions, issue-based coalitions, faith-based organizations, indigenous-peoples movements, the media, think tanks, and foundations.
Crude oil
Oil is that is not treated or refined.
Direct use
Geothermal energy (hot water near the surface of the earth) can be used directly for heating buildings, drying crops, heating water, and other industrial processes.
Dry natural gas
Natural gas that remains after removing the liquefiable hydrocarbon portion from the gas stream (i.e., gas after lease, field, or plant separation) and after removing any quantities of nonhydrocarbon gases that render the gas unmarketable.
DOI
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet-level agency responsible for managing America’s natural and cultural resources.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
A document intended to provide decision makers and the public with information about the potential impacts of major federal actions and alternatives to them. Federal agencies prepare an EIS if a proposed federal action is determined to significantly affect the quality of the human environment, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
EITI Standard
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Standard is an international standard for openness around the management of revenue from natural resources. Governments disclose how much they receive from extractive companies operating in their country and these companies disclose how much they pay. Governments sign up to implement the EITI Standard and must meet seven requirements.
Extractive industry
Oil, gas, and mining industries that extract natural resources.
Fair market value
The estimated price for a natural resource lease, based on the government’s analysis and the geological resources on the lands or waters.
Federal land
Lands and waters owned by the federal government, including public domain lands, acquired lands, and the Outer Continental Shelf.
Fiscal year (FY)
Revenue data is often reported by fiscal year. For example, the federal government’s FY 2013 includes October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013.
Fossil fuel
An energy source formed in the Earth’s crust from decayed organic material. Common fossil fuels include oil, gas, and coal.
Gross domestic product (GDP)
A measure of the total value of goods and services produced in a specific area. The Bureau of Economic Analysis measures GDP by adding up the “real value added” for each industry that contributes to the U.S. economy.
Hydraulic fracturing
A well development process that involves injecting water under high pressure into a bedrock formation through the well, to increase the size and extent of existing bedrock fractures.
Independent Administrator (IA)
The EITI International Board requires participating countries to appoint an Independent Administrator to help apply the international standards. The USEITI Independent Administrator is Deloitte & Touche LLP.
Indian lands
Lands owned by Native Americans, including tribal lands held in trust by the federal government for a tribe’s use, Indian allotments held in trust by the federal government for individual use, and lands held by Alaska Native corporations.
Kilowatt hour (kWh)
A measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour; abbreviated as kWh.
kWh
Abbreviation for “kilowatt hour,” a measure of electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for 1 hour.
Lease
A contract that allows a company to be the exclusive entity that can apply to explore for and extract natural resources within a specific tract of federal lands or waters.
Lease condensate
Light liquid hydrocarbons recovered from oil and natural gas wells during production.
Locatable minerals
Locatable minerals are minerals that may be “located” and obtained by filing a mining claim. Locatable minerals include gold, silver, copper, lead, and many other metallic and nonmetallic minerals.
Margin of variance
The percentage difference that the USEITI Multi-Stakeholder Group defined as significant for each revenue type as part of the reconciliation process.
Material variance
A discrepancy between government-reported and company-reported revenue payments that is considered significant by the Independent Administrator. Margins of variance vary by revenue type, and were approved by the Multi-Stakeholder Group as part of the USEITI process.
Mcf
1000 cubic feet, a unit of measure for natural gas.
Megawatt Capacity (MC) fee
A revenue payment for the calculated value of electricity generated on federal lands.
Megawatt hours
One megawatt is equivalent to one million watts. One megawatt hour (abbreviated as Mwh) is equivalent to 1,000 Kilowatt hours.
Metric ton
One metric ton is equal to 2240 pounds. To convert metric tons to tons, multiply by 1.1023. To convert tons to metric tons, multiply by 0.9072.
Millage tax
A millage tax is a property tax based on the assessed value of a property. Millage tax rates are quantified in terms of mills: One mill is worth 1/1000 of a dollar, or $0.001.
Mill levy
A mill levy is calculated by determining how much revenue each taxing jurisdiction will need for the upcoming year, then dividing that projection by the total value of the property within the area.
Mill rate
A mill rate is the amount of tax payable per dollar on the assessed value of a property. Each mill is worth one-tenth of a cent, or $0.001.
Mineral acres
Sometimes the land’s surface owner is different from the owner of the minerals in the ground below. For instance, a state might retain mineral rights when it sells or swaps land.
Mineral resource potential
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, mineral resource potential is the likelihood for the occurrence of undiscovered mineral resources in a defined area.
Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG)
A cross-sector body comprised of members and alternates from government, industry, and civil society organizations commissioned by the Secretary of the Interior to guide and monitor EITI implementation.
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
The standard used by federal agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. economy.
ONRR
The Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for collecting, disbursing, and verifying federal and Indian energy and other natural resource revenue.
Operating fee
A fee for a percentage of the anticipated value of wind energy produced on federal waters.
Outer Continental Shelf
The part of the continental shelf under federal jurisdiction, seaward of the line that marks state ownership, often three miles off a state’s coastline.
OSMRE
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is responsible for regulating surface coal mining in the United States, as well as funding the restoration of abandoned coal mines.
Paying quantities
Quantities of oil or gas that are sufficient to yield a profit to the lease holder over operating expenses, even though the drilling costs or equipping costs are never recovered, and even if the undertaking as a whole may result in a loss to the lease holder.
Petroleum products
Products come from processing crude oil (including lease condensate), natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds. These include unfinished oils, liquefied petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, special naphthas, lubricants, waxes, petroleum coke, asphalt, road oil, still gas, and miscellaneous products.
Play
A group of oil and gas fields in the same region formed by the same geological processes.
Private lands
Lands owned by citizens or corporations.
Production
We use the term “production” as a catch-all term for mining, drilling, energy generation, and other forms of natural resource extraction. There is no distinction between “extraction” and “production” in ONRR or EIA datasets.
Proved reserves
Quantities of natural resources that, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with reasonable certainty to be commercially recoverable from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions, operating methods, and government regulations.
Public domain lands
Public domain lands are lands that have belonged to the federal government since they were obtained from the 13 original colonies, from Native American tribes, or through purchases from other countries, and have not been dedicated to a specific use.
Reclamation
The process of restoring the surface environment to acceptable pre-existing conditions, including surface contouring, equipment removal, well plugging, and revegetation.
Rent
An annual payment for leasing lands or waters before production starts.
Renewable energy
Energy resources that are virtually inexhaustible in duration but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of time. These include biomass, hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave action, and tidal action energy.
Resource advisory council (RAC)
A group of 12 to 15 members with diverse interests in local communities, such as ranchers, environmental groups, tribes, state and local government officials, academics, and other public land users.
Royalty
A payment for extracted natural resources, determined by a percentage of the resources’ production value.
Standard Occupation Classification
A system used by federal statistical agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data.
State or local lands
Lands owned by state or local governments.
Split estate
A land parcel that has surface rights and subsurface rights (such as the rights to develop minerals) owned by different parties.
Subsurface rights
A lease holder’s right to use as much of the land beneath the surface as necessary to operate under the lease.
Subsurface mining
Underground mining, which has different and more labor intensive techniques than surface mining.
Surface rights
A leaseholder’s right to use as much of the surface of the land as necessary to operate under the lease.
Tax expenditures
Revenue lossess attributed to provisions of federal tax laws that allow a special exclusion, exemption, or deduction from gross income, or which provide a special credit, a preferential rate of tax, or a deferral of tax liability.
Ton
In the U.S., one ton is 2,000 pounds. In some countries this is referred to as a short ton.
Unorganized land
In Alaska, over half of land is not contained in any of its 19 organized boroughs. This land (collectively called the Unorganized Borough) is divided into 10 census areas for statistical purposes.
Variance floor
During the reconciliation process, only variances between reported numbers that exceed a minimum dollar amount are investigated by the Independent Administrator.
Wet gas
Natural gas that hasn’t been treated to remove liquid hydrocarbons or other nonhydrocarbons that make the gas unmarketable.
Withheld
Data may be withheld for several reasons. In some cases, usually where only one company is extracting a resource in a county, the specific amount produced in that state or county is withheld to protect trade secrets.
Natural resource extraction varies widely from state to state.
In West Virginia, extractive industries accounted for
13.4%
of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015, and jobs in the extractive industries made up
3.6%
of statewide employment.
Natural resource ownership in the U.S. is closely tied to land ownership. Land can be owned by citizens, corporations, Indian tribes or individuals, or governments (for instance, federal, state, or local governments). Many USEITI datasets only cover natural resource extraction on federal land, which represents
7.4%
of all land in West Virginia.
Energy production in the entire state of West Virginia
The Energy Information Administration collects data about all energy-related natural resources produced on federal, state, and privately owned land.
Data and documentation
Coal
0short tons of
coal
were produced in
West Virginia in
2015.
There is no data about production of
coal
in West Virginia in
2015.
Hydroelectric
1,300,133megawatt hours of
hydroelectric energy
were produced in
West Virginia in
2015.
There is no data about production of
hydroelectric energy
in West Virginia in
2015.
Crude oil
7,970,000barrels of
crude oil
were produced in
West Virginia in
2015.
There is no data about production of
crude oil
in West Virginia in
2015.
Natural gas
1,318,822,000mcf of
natural gas
were produced in
West Virginia in
2015.
There is no data about production of
natural gas
in West Virginia in
2015.
Other biomass
4,693megawatt hours of
other biomass energy
were produced in
West Virginia in
2015.
There is no data about production of
other biomass energy
in West Virginia in
2015.
Wind
1,376,232megawatt hours of
wind energy
were produced in
West Virginia in
2015.
There is no data about production of
wind energy
in West Virginia in
2015.
Wood-derived fuel
0megawatt hours of
wood-derived fuel energy
were produced in
West Virginia in
2015.
There is no data about production of
wood-derived fuel energy
in West Virginia in
2015.
Production on federal land in West Virginia
The Office of Natural Resources Revenue collects detailed data about natural resource production on federal land in West Virginia.
Data and documentation
Gas
153,187mcf of gas were
produced on federal land in West Virginia in
2015.
There is no data about production of gas on federal land in West Virginia in
2015.
Data about how much gas was produced on federal land in West Virginia in 2015 is withheld.
County production
County production of gas in 2015(mcf)
There is no county-level data for West Virginia in 2015.
County-level data for 2015 is withheld.
County
Mcf of gas
Grant County
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Grant County in 2015 is withheld.
mcf of gas were produced in Grant County in 2015.
Lewis County
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Lewis County in 2015 is withheld.
mcf of gas were produced in Lewis County in 2015.
Mingo County
52,632
52,632
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Mingo County in 2015 is withheld.
52,632 mcf of gas were produced in Mingo County in 2015.
Pendleton County
18,783
18,783
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Pendleton County in 2015 is withheld.
18,783 mcf of gas were produced in Pendleton County in 2015.
Pocahontas County
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Pocahontas County in 2015 is withheld.
mcf of gas were produced in Pocahontas County in 2015.
Preston County
19,115
19,115
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Preston County in 2015 is withheld.
19,115 mcf of gas were produced in Preston County in 2015.
Randolph County
25,187
25,187
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Randolph County in 2015 is withheld.
25,187 mcf of gas were produced in Randolph County in 2015.
Tucker County
36,585
36,585
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Tucker County in 2015 is withheld.
36,585 mcf of gas were produced in Tucker County in 2015.
Wyoming County
885
885
Data about gas extraction on federal land in Wyoming County in 2015 is withheld.
885 mcf of gas were produced in Wyoming County in 2015.
Data withheld
Production volume in West Virginia was
withheld for the following product(s):
Oil
(’09–’11)
Revenue
Companies pay a wide range of fees, rates, and taxes to extract natural resources in the United States. What companies pay to federal, state, and local governments often depends on who owns the natural resources.
Federal revenue
Natural resource extraction can lead to federal revenue in two ways: non-tax revenue and tax revenue. Most USEITI data is about non-tax revenue from extractive industry activities on federal land.
Data and documentation
Revenue from production on federal land by resource
When companies extract natural resources on federal lands and waters, they pay royalties, rents, bonuses, and other fees, much like they would to any landowner. This non-tax revenue is collected and reported by the Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR).
For details about the laws and policies that govern how rights are awarded to companies and what they pay to extract natural resources on federal land: coal, oil and gas, renewable resources, and hardrock minerals.
The federal government collects different kinds of fees at each phase of natural resource extraction. This chart shows how much federal revenue was collected in 2015 for production or potential production of natural resources on federal land in West Virginia, broken down by phase of production.
1. Securing rightsCompanies pay bonuses or other fees to secure rights to resources on federal land
2. Before productionCompanies pay rent on federal land while exploring for resources
3. During productionCompanies pay royalties after production begins
Other revenueMinimum or estimated royalties, settlements, and interest payments
Oil and Gas
Oil & Gas $476,907
$0
$41,364
Gas
$37,175
$398,368
Onshore
Bonus: The amount offered by the highest bidder
$1.50 annual rent per acre for 5 years $2 annual rent per acre thereafter
12.5% of production value
Coal
Coal $177,920
$155,000
$22,920
$0
$0
Bonus: The amount offered by the highest bidder
$3 annual rent per acre
Surface mining: 12.5% of production value + $0.28 per ton in AML fees Subsurface mining: 8% of production value + $0.12 per ton in AML fees
All commodities
All commodities $654,827
$155,000
$64,284
$37,175
$398,368
Other revenue streams
Hardrock mining on public domain lands
Federal revenue from hardrock mining on public domain land occurs through the claim-staking process and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is not included here, because the dataset does not have state-level data. Learn more about hardrock mining on federal land.
Onshore solar and wind energy
Federal revenue from onshore renewable energy generation on federal land is not included here, because that dataset, from BLM, does not have state-level data. Learn more about onshore renewables on federal land.
To see how much was collected nationwide for all revenue types, including BLM revenues, see federal revenue by company.
Revenue from production on federal land by county
Most non-tax revenue collected by ONRR comes from counties with significant natural resources on federal land.
Data and documentation
All commodities
Companies paid
$654,827
to produce natural resources on federal land in West Virginia in 2015.
There is no data about revenue from natural resource production on federal land in West Virginia in
2015.
Revenue collected by County
County revenue in 2015
There is no county-level data for West Virginia in 2015.
County-level data for 2015 is withheld.
County
Revenue
Braxton
$5,486
5,486
Companies paid $5,486 to extract natural resources on federal land in Braxton County in 2015.
Grant
$5,616
5,616
Companies paid $5,616 to extract natural resources on federal land in Grant County in 2015.
Lewis
$23,308
23,308
Companies paid $23,308 to extract natural resources on federal land in Lewis County in 2015.
Mingo
$35,064
35,064
Companies paid $35,064 to extract natural resources on federal land in Mingo County in 2015.
Pendleton
$27,693
27,693
Companies paid $27,693 to extract natural resources on federal land in Pendleton County in 2015.
Pocahontas
$175,340
175,340
Companies paid $175,340 to extract natural resources on federal land in Pocahontas County in 2015.
Preston
$8,743
8,743
Companies paid $8,743 to extract natural resources on federal land in Preston County in 2015.
Randolph
$167,782
167,782
Companies paid $167,782 to extract natural resources on federal land in Randolph County in 2015.
Tucker
$23,574
23,574
Companies paid $23,574 to extract natural resources on federal land in Tucker County in 2015.
Wayne
$178,456
178,456
Companies paid $178,456 to extract natural resources on federal land in Wayne County in 2015.
Wood
$75
75
Companies paid $75 to extract natural resources on federal land in Wood County in 2015.
Wyoming
$3,691
3,691
Companies paid $3,691 to extract natural resources on federal land in Wyoming County in 2015.
Federal tax revenue
Individuals and corporations (specifically C-corporations) pay income taxes to the IRS. Depending on company income, federal corporate income tax rates can range from 15–35%. Public policy provisions, such as tax expenditures, can decrease corporate income tax and other revenue payments in order to romote other policy goals.
We don’t have detailed data about federal, state, or local revenue from natural resource extraction on land owned by West Virginia, corporations, or individuals. However, companies generally must pay state and local taxes.
Disbursements
Federal disbursements
After collecting revenue from natural resource extraction, the Office of Natural Resources Revenue distributes that money to different agencies, funds, and local governments for public use. This process is called “disbursement.”
Most federal revenue disbursements go into national funds. For detailed data about which expenditures and projects from those national funds are in West Virginia, see nationwide federal disbursements.
ONRR also disburses some revenue from natural resource extraction to state governments.
In 2015, ONRR disbursed
$225,606
to West Virginia.
We don’t have detailed data about how states or local governments distribute revenue from natural resource extraction.
Economic impact
Gross domestic product (GDP)
Data about each state’s gross domestic product comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Data and documentation
GDP (dollars)
In 2015,
extractive industries accounted for
13.4%
of West Virginia’s GDP, or
$9,990,000,000
There is no data about GDP from extractive industries in West Virginia in
2015.
Wage and salary jobs
Wage and salary data, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, describes the number of people employed in natural resource extraction that receive wages or salaries from companies.
Data and documentation
Wage and salary jobs
In 2015,
there were
jobs in the extractive industries in
West Virginia, and they accounted for
3.6%
of statewide employment.
There is no data about wage and salary jobs in the extractive industries in West Virginia in
2015.
County wage and salary jobs
County employment in extractive industries (jobs, 2015)
There is no county-level data for West Virginia in 2015.
County-level data for 2015 is withheld.
County
Extractives jobs
% of all jobs in county
Barbour County
%
In 2015, there were jobs in the extractive industries in Barbour County.
Boone County
1,476
1,476
24.9%
In 2015, there were 1,476 jobs in the extractive industries in Boone County.
Braxton County
%
In 2015, there were jobs in the extractive industries in Braxton County.
Cabell County
28
28
0.05%
In 2015, there were 28 jobs in the extractive industries in Cabell County.
Calhoun County
%
In 2015, there were jobs in the extractive industries in Calhoun County.
Clay County
%
In 2015, there were jobs in the extractive industries in Clay County.
Doddridge County
186
186
13.29%
In 2015, there were 186 jobs in the extractive industries in Doddridge County.
Fayette County
479
479
4.4%
In 2015, there were 479 jobs in the extractive industries in Fayette County.
Grant County
%
In 2015, there were jobs in the extractive industries in Grant County.
Greenbrier County
332
332
2.51%
In 2015, there were 332 jobs in the extractive industries in Greenbrier County.
Hancock County
42
42
0.42%
In 2015, there were 42 jobs in the extractive industries in Hancock County.
Harrison County
940
940
2.68%
In 2015, there were 940 jobs in the extractive industries in Harrison County.
Jackson County
51
51
0.66%
In 2015, there were 51 jobs in the extractive industries in Jackson County.
Kanawha County
2,084
2,084
2.03%
In 2015, there were 2,084 jobs in the extractive industries in Kanawha County.
Lewis County
1,052
1,052
15.79%
In 2015, there were 1,052 jobs in the extractive industries in Lewis County.
Lincoln County
%
In 2015, there were jobs in the extractive industries in Lincoln County.
Logan County
1,231
1,231
12.04%
In 2015, there were 1,231 jobs in the extractive industries in Logan County.
McDowell County
819
819
17.08%
In 2015, there were 819 jobs in the extractive industries in McDowell County.
Marshall County
1,924
1,924
18.15%
In 2015, there were 1,924 jobs in the extractive industries in Marshall County.
Mason County
25
25
0.44%
In 2015, there were 25 jobs in the extractive industries in Mason County.
Mercer County
133
133
0.67%
In 2015, there were 133 jobs in the extractive industries in Mercer County.
Mineral County
29
29
0.38%
In 2015, there were 29 jobs in the extractive industries in Mineral County.
Mingo County
1,331
1,331
23.97%
In 2015, there were 1,331 jobs in the extractive industries in Mingo County.
Monongalia County
625
625
1.13%
In 2015, there were 625 jobs in the extractive industries in Monongalia County.
Nicholas County
412
412
5.29%
In 2015, there were 412 jobs in the extractive industries in Nicholas County.
Pleasants County
%
In 2015, there were jobs in the extractive industries in Pleasants County.
Preston County
49
49
0.67%
In 2015, there were 49 jobs in the extractive industries in Preston County.
Putnam County
39
39
0.19%
In 2015, there were 39 jobs in the extractive industries in Putnam County.
Raleigh County
1,851
1,851
5.73%
In 2015, there were 1,851 jobs in the extractive industries in Raleigh County.
Randolph County
275
275
2.4%
In 2015, there were 275 jobs in the extractive industries in Randolph County.
Ritchie County
705
705
21.31%
In 2015, there were 705 jobs in the extractive industries in Ritchie County.
Roane County
277
277
9.33%
In 2015, there were 277 jobs in the extractive industries in Roane County.
Tyler County
49
49
2.07%
In 2015, there were 49 jobs in the extractive industries in Tyler County.
Upshur County
289
289
3.8%
In 2015, there were 289 jobs in the extractive industries in Upshur County.
Wetzel County
%
In 2015, there were jobs in the extractive industries in Wetzel County.
Wirt County
26
26
4.66%
In 2015, there were 26 jobs in the extractive industries in Wirt County.
Wood County
103
103
0.27%
In 2015, there were 103 jobs in the extractive industries in Wood County.
Wyoming County
1,131
1,131
23.92%
In 2015, there were 1,131 jobs in the extractive industries in Wyoming County.
Self-employment
Self-employment data, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, describes people who work in natural resource extraction, but don’t receive wages or salaries because they own their own companies.
Data and documentation
Self-employment
In 2014,
there were
self-employed people working in the extractive industries in
West Virginia.
Exports
The U.S. Census Bureau collects information about the top 25 exports in each state.
In 2015, one or more natural resources
ranked among the top 25 exports from West Virginia.
Data and documentation
Coal
$1,718,670,000
worth of coal
was exported from West Virginia
in 2015.
coal did not rank among the top 25 exports
from West Virginia in
2015.
State governance
The USEITI Multi-Stakeholder Group identified West Virginia as a priority state and gathered additional information about state agencies and regulations that govern natural resource extraction in West Virginia:
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection oversees natural resource extraction in West Virginia. The department’s Office of Oil and Gas is responsible for monitoring and regulating all actions related to the exploration, drilling, storage, and production of oil and natural gas. The Division of Mining and Reclamation manages compliance, reclamation, permitting, and communications between the public and industry.
