West Virginia Carbon Capture and Sequestration Working Group Established

       West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Cabinet Secretary, Randy Hoffman, has appointed the Carbon Capture and Sequestration Working Group and scheduled its first meeting for August 12, 2009 at DEP’s offices in Charleston.   

       The Carbon Capture and Sequestration Working Group will have responsibility for insuring the preparation of a draft report by July 1, 2010 and a final report by July 1, 2011 that will address, at a minimum:   

·     Methods to encourage development of carbon capture and sequestration technologies

·     The economic and environmental feasibility of large, long-term carbon dioxide sequestration options

·     Recommended legislation to clarify the ownership and other rights and interests in pore space

·     Methods for facilitating wide-spread use of carbon dioxide sequestration

·     Monitoring sites to assess the impact of carbon dioxide sequestration

·     The characteristics of areas within the state where carbon dioxide could be sequestered

·     Costs, benefits, risks and rewards of carbon dioxide sequestration

·     The potential carbon dioxide sequestration capacity in this state

·     Research needed to better understand and quantify the processes of carbon dioxide sequestration and long-term strategy for the regulation of carbon dioxide sequestration in West Virginia.  

     The members of the Carbon Capture and Sequestration Working Group are as follows:

 

Grant Bromhal, National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy - Expert in carbon dioxide sequestration or related technologies

 

Nick Carter, National Council of Coal Lessors, Inc. – Chairman of the National Council of Coal Lessors or his designee

Alan Dennis, Penn Virginia Coal Company, Penn Virginia Resource Partners, LP – Representative of the West Virginia Land & Mineral Owners Association

David Flannery, Jackson Kelly PLLC – Attorney with an expertise in environmental law 

 

Tim Grant, National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S.Department of Energy – Expert in geology

 

Billy Jack Gregg - Expert in the regulation of public utilities in West Virginia

 

Calvin Kent, Marshall University – Expert in carbon dioxide sequestration or related technologies

 

Leonard Knee, Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love PLLC – Attorney with an expertise in environmental law

 

Paul Kramer, Allegheny Energy, Inc. – Expert in engineering

 

Jim Laurita, MEPCO, LLC – Representative of the West VirginiaCoal Association

 

John Leeson, Dominion – Engineer with an expertise in the underground storage of natural gas

 

Tim Mallan, Appalachian Power – Representative of a coal power electric generating utility advocating carbon dioxide sequestration development

 

Dave McMahon – Representative advocating the interests of surface owners of real property

 

Earl Melton, West VirginiaPublic Service Commission – Expert in the regulation of public utilities in West Virginia

 

Ken Nemeth, Southern States Energy Board – Expert in carbon dioxide sequestration or related technologies

 

Stephanie Timmermeyer, Timmermeyer, PLLC – Expert in environmental science

 

Richard Winschel, CONSOL Energy, Inc. – Expert in carbon dioxide sequestration or related technologies

 

Vickie Wolfe, West VirginiaEnvironmental Council – Representative of a citizen’s group advocating environmental protection  

 

     This article was authored by David M. Flannery, Jackson Kelly PLLC. For more information on the author see here.