HOUSE RESOLUTION 17

(By Delegates Anderson, Zatezalo, Fehrenbacher, Barnhart, Foggin, Young, Heckert, Warner, Rowe, Hansen, and Street)

February 23, 2023

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Manufacturing then the Committee on Rules

Urging the West Virginia Geologic and Economic Survey to work collectively with private industry, higher education institutions, with the support of the West Virginia Development Office, to evaluate policy options to encourage the capture and beneficial use of coal mine methane.

Whereas, The State of West Virginia has long been a national leader in energy production; and

Whereas, The House of Delegates of West Virginia embraces and encourages the continued use of its fossil energy resources, such as coal, oil and natural gas; and

Whereas, The House of Delegates of West Virginia finds methane emissions from underground coal mines and coal mine methane is an under-developed natural resource in the State, and fewer than 3% of the nation's coal mines are currently seeking opportunities to capture methane from mining operations; and

Whereas, The capture and beneficial use of coal mine methane, defined as methane gas captured and produced from a gob well (as defined in §22-21-2 of the Code of West Virginia) or an underground gob area associated with a mined-out coal seam that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere, is an economic development opportunity for West Virginia; and

Whereas, The development of coal mine methane operations will result in infrastructure investment, employment opportunities, and reduce the amount of methane emissions released into the atmosphere; therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Delegates:

The House of Delegates hereby urges the West Virginia Geologic and Economic Survey to work collectively with private industry, higher education institutions, with the support of the West Virginia Development Office, to evaluate policy options to encourage the capture and beneficial use of coal mine methane; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Geologic and Economic Survey shall report back any findings to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance no later than December 31, 2023.