With the 2025 Legislative Session underway, it is imperative that the legislature prioritize policies that bolster energy and economic growth opportunities, leveraging West Virginia’s abundant natural gas and oil resources to ensure reliable energy access.

Fortunately, recent industry and policy developments have supported expanded natural gas and oil production—providing an avenue for West Virginia to reliably deliver the power essential to our daily lives.

Economic Development: In the 2023 – 2024 fiscal year alone, the natural gas and oil industry accounted for over $660 million in state revenue via severance and property taxes. As a result, ahead of session West Virginia leaders recognized the industry’s advancements in workforce development, economic opportunities and quality of life for residents.

  • Since 2008, severance and property taxes from the oil and gas industry have generated $5.4 billion for West Virginia’s economy.
  • What’s more, the industry provides over 15,000 direct jobs to West Virginians, and an additional 73,000 indirect jobs, with an average annual salary of ~ $97,000. Downstream manufacturing, power generation and alternative fuel development tied to the state’s natural gas industry has attracted millions and public and private investment- all offering more job opportunities for local workers.

Industry Growth: However, there are opportunities to progress energy development across the Mountain State, including investing in natural gas-fired generation, expanding carbon capture and storage development and supporting innovations across the hydrogen value chain.

  • GO-WV is excited to work alongside strong energy advocates, including Governor Patrick Morrisey and Attorney General J.B. McCuskey, to continue providing reliable and affordable natural gas to West Virginians and Americans alike. As our leaders work to advance pro-energy policies across the state, West Virginia producers stand ready to bolster production.
  • Investing in natural gas-fired power generation is a catalyst for growth, with increased energy output – which is required to adequately supply AI and data center adoption – bolstering the state’s economy. “The legislature understands the need of power production if they are to attract these large job creating, energy consuming new business development opportunities,” said GO-WV President Charlie Burd. “Our industry wants to develop a natural gas power generation infrastructure in this state.
  • Also consider, in January, West Virginia was the fourth state in the U.S. granted primacy on Class VI injection wells, a critical step in advancing carbon capture and storage technology that will drive decarbonization efforts across hydrogen production, oil and gas development and industrial manufacturing. At its core, Class VI well primacy is a game-changer for West Virginia, reducing federal red tape to allow our state to lead the next generation CCS implementation.

Committed, Energy-Focused Leaders:

  • Committed state leaders like Governor Patrick Morrisey have voiced their support, announcing the Energy, Infrastructure and Competitiveness Council. “We know that for West Virginia to unleash its true potential, we have to be an energy powerhouse, and that means taking advantage of all of our energy resources,” he said.
  • “We’re powering economies as we always have, either with natural gas or electricity, and we believe we do it very cleanly, very efficiently, and we send our product all over the world in the form of LNG. We also applaud General McCuskey, and his staff for all the great work they’re doing taking the lead on these issues that have been ignored by the federal government, or the impugning of these industries in the form of the federal government for so many years,” said GO-WV Chairman Jim Crews in regards to Attorney General John McCuskey joining GO-WV in challenging the New York Climate Change Superfund Act.
  • At the federal level, the Appalachia Basin will benefit from the White House’s energy-focused agenda. Newly confirmed Secretary of Energy Chris Wright plans to spearhead policies that unleash American energy, including lifting the LNG permitting pause and further paving way for American energy to reach our strategic allies.

Bottom Line: West Virginia is an energy state, through and through. Our industry is poised to benefit from the collective shift toward pro-energy policies and regulatory relief. However, there is a strategic imperative to invest in natural gas-fired generation, expand CCS adoption and hydrogen development to ensure West Virginia families and businesses benefit from the low-carbon, affordable natural gas that is powering a more prosperous energy state.

Our upcoming Winter Meeting in Charleston will also address these industry affairs this week and more. Register now to secure your spot.