PATH applications withdrawn

ziggy wrote:There has been a focus on Marcellus shale drilling in West Virginia since about 2006. There are several hundred Marcellus wells in production in WV now.

Will existing wells have to pay the higher fees?

I would not think so. The fees for new wellls are what they are at the time the pernit is applied for- whether in 2006, 2011, or 2015. If higher well permit fees are approved by the legislature, they will apply to wells permitted henceforth, but not retroactively. Gas well permit applications today require a fee of about $ 600, as I recall- the same as for many, many years. The various Marcellus bills at the legislature this year would have these fees increase up to between $6,000 and $16,000- depending on the origin of the bills. I figure by the time the session is over (10 days away now) those fees will be about $6,000. But of course if nothing new happens, they'll still be at $ 600. But DEP wants more $$$$ from those fees to hire more well inspectors.