Community Benefits Plan

Overview

While implementing the Methane Emission Reduction Program (MERP) grant, West Virginia will emphasize community and labor engagement, job quality and workforce continuity, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, as well as contributing to the Justice40 Initiative. The establishment of a Community Benefits Committee (CBC) will be the cornerstone of West Virginia’s efforts to ensure that these grant funds advance all the goals identified within this plan. The CBC will establish a forum for meaningful dialogue between labor, community leaders, and other stakeholders. Beginning in mid-to late 2024, the CBC will engage with community members, local organizations, and labor representatives to understand their needs, concerns, and expectations. As the project continues, the CBC will continue meeting semi-annually to ensure that DEP is best positioned to be reactive to the needs of the community. The CBC will provide regular updates related to community and labor force issues, well plugging progress, safety measures, and job opportunities. The DEP will use this website as a forum through which information related to the Community Benefits Plan will be published.

Upcoming Meeting

Date: October 15, 2024
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Join by phone: (405) 696-0585
PIN: 897 010 407#


Previous Meeting Minutes

Attendees

Charles Burd, Gas & Oil Association of West Virginia
Autumn Crowe, West Virginia Rivers Coalition
Tom Huber, West Virginia Royalty Owners Association
David McMahon, Surface Owners Rights Organization
Justin Williams, Affiliated Construction Trades
Jason Harmon*, Deputy Chief, Office of Oil & Gas, WVDEP

*CBC chairperson

Observers

James Martin, Chief, Office of Oil & Gas, WVDEP
Alana Hartman Asst. Chief, Office of Oil & Gas, WVDEP


Notes

  • Agenda was approved (moved & seconded & voted)

  • DEP staff and CBC members introduced themselves

  • JH (and later JM) expressed gratitude for those who helped to secure more funding for plugging abandoned wells


Agenda Item: MERP Grant/Program Overview / DEP Strategy

  1. JH presented portions of “Methane Emissions Reduction Program for Marginal Conventional Wells” and provided the slides after the meeting.

  2. The funding that the CBC is working with was from the Inflation Reduction Act, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

  3. The aim is to put people to work using these funds set aside for “marginal” assets; West Virginia has about 63,262 MCWs (Marginal Conventional Wells), which are vertical wells that produce less than 90 mcf (thousand cubic feet) per day.

    1. Clarification - a well doesn’t have to be an actively producing well to be considered marginal; consider adding “including wells that are idle” when speaking of MCWs
    2. Clarification - number of MCW wells that are “holding leases” is unknown
    3. Clarification - a MCW producing just under this maximum amount, e.g. 80 mcfd, could be considered to be a “good” economic asset to some operators
  4. Slide 5: There are over 25,000 wells in 0-0.1 mcfd production range, while 279 wells are making more than 50 mcfd

  5. Slide 6: Over 1000 operators have 1-10 wells, and 9 operators each have more than 1000 wells, representing 45% of MCWs

  6. Slide 11, map: CEJST (Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool) has criteria to determine “disadvantaged communities” and that includes almost all of WV. We have to spend at least 40% of our funds in these areas. 72% of our MCWs fall within these areas

  7. Slides 12-14 Role of CBC and the Administrator

    1. This is a ~$38 million grant, not enough to plug every MCW
    2. Administrator will be involved in community engagement, well nomination & prioritization, field oversight
    3. CBC Project Launch Phase - establish a forum for meaningful dialogue - landowners, mineral owners, O&G industry, laborers, environment will all be affected by the grant, so we seek their input
    4. CBC maintenance phase - keep tabs on our progress implementing the grant
  8. Slides 15-19 Well Prioritization Plan, will put packages together and will try to attract a lot of different vendors, including small companies


Agenda Item: CBC Goals and Objectives

  1. Serve as an advisory board making sure we hear your opinion and also all of the other affected voices

  2. Approve the prioritization model

  3. Maintenance role to ensure we’re on track for our Community Benefits obligations

    1. Clarification - operators will need to voluntarily nominate their wells; we need to reach out to them to inform them & allay potential fears.
    2. Clarification - a surface owner may not nominate an orphan well, since it doesn’t meet the definition of an MCW, but our new webpages include a self-nomination form to start to process of possibly accessing state funds for abandoned well plugging
    3. Clarification - a DEP inspector cannot require someone to apply for plugging nor appear that we’re forcing them to apply. Many stakeholders can recommend a well - ultimately it’s the operators’ decision whether to nominate it.

Agenda Item: Identification of Focus Areas / Strategies for Public Engagement

  1. No one present at the meeting is opposed to making these meetings public

  2. Keep these ideas going and work on deploying them at next meeting. Think about where the meetings should be, who the people are, and how to get the people there.

    1. CB’s organization sends a newsletter to dues-paying members, many of which are likely operators of the smaller numbers of MCWs

Agenda Item Tabled for Next Meeting: Workforce Development


Action Items

  • Jason will share the EOI (Expression of Interest) for the Administrator
  • Jason will share the Abandoned Well Plugging website url that just went live today
  • Jason will let this group know what is needed to make these meetings public
  • Jason will ask you all to sign a form to document your participation so that he can release the $200 reimbursement
  • Jason will share the PowerPoint presentation slides that were used today
  • Members will be prepared to suggest strategies at the next meeting for:
    • Stakeholder meetings (where the meetings should be, who the people are, and how to get the people there)
    • Workforce development

Meeting Adjourned at 11:30 A.M.


Next Meetings

The next meeting will be September 17, 2024, 10:00-11:30 a.m. Virtual meetings seem to be OK with everyone.

The October meeting will be October 15, 2024, 1:00-2:30 p.m.

The November meeting will likely be November 19, 2024, 1:00-2:30 p.m. (may have to coordinate with the Administrator on their availability as well)

Documents

Meeting notes will be posted after approval during the next meeting on October 15.

Meeting minutes will be posted when they become available.


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