Senate Resolution Touts ‘Marcellus Principles’

Morgantown Dominion Post
11 February 2012
By David Beard

CHARLESTON — A Senate resolution urges the Marcellus shale industry to abide by “Marcellus Principles.”

Sen. Orphy Klempa, DOhio, sponsored SR 12 espousing the principles, which was introduced Friday. Every senator but Karen Facemyer, R-Jackson, signed on as a co-sponsor. Facemyer asked for her name to be removed.

It passed by voice vote.

The resolution doesn’t make law, it just urges the industry to adopt four Marcellus

Principles:

Copies will be forwarded to the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association (WVONGA) and the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia (IOGA).

WVONGA and IOGA both said the resolution reflects what they already do.

“I think our intent as an industry is to employ as many West Virginians as we possibly can,” WVONGA Executive Director Corky DeMarco said.

The resolution poses one problem — it calls for local drilling rig workers, and rigs don’t work that way. They go to sites with their own crews, DeMarco said. But overall, “it’s never been our attitude to import workers.”