The bill would open up state lands — including state parks — to biomass companies, and also allow top commerce and economic development officials to directly award contracts when they deem it necessary for “economic development.”
by Sarah Elbeshbishi for Mountain State Spotlight
This story was originally published by Mountain State Spotlight. For more stories from Mountain State Spotlight, visit www.mountainstatespotlight.org.
More of West Virginia’s public lands could be used for private profit if a bill making its way through the Legislature is signed into law.
Members of the West Virginia Senate overwhelmingly approved SB 688 last Wednesday. The bill is framed as one that would allow the state’s directors of forestry and natural resources to enter into land management contracts for the “limited purposes of protecting, preserving and maintaining such lands from forest fire.”
But also written into the bill is a provision that would let the director award a contract when the state Commerce and Economic Development secretaries say it’s a “necessary component of an economic development project.”
This could include biomass companies, which gather organic material from plants and animals and burn it to create energy. Biomass can also include tree tops and branches left over from logging.
Commerce Secretary James Bailey told the Senate Economic Development Committee last week that there has been interest in West Virginia by groups who are producing energy or fuel from biomass.
“My posture has been we do not have the authority to sell off our biomass even though it would be beneficial to us so I believe this legislation is needed for that,” Bailey said.
During the committee meeting, Sen. David Stover, R-Wyoming, voiced concern over how the bill would impact state forests and state park lands. But Bailey assured lawmakers that the state would not be handing over control of the land. Instead, they would reach an agreement with the contractors to “do very specific tasks” advised by the state’s forestry professionals.
West Virginia saw a total of 323 wildfires in 2023, according to a Division of Forestry press release. Debris burning, arson and equipment and vehicle use were the top three causes of wildfires in the state.
On Wednesday, senators considered an amendment from Stover to exclude state parks and rail trail lands from the bill, which was backed by West Virginia environmental groups. Under the provisions of a bill lawmakers passed in 2022, private companies are already allowed to develop recreational projects and facilities in all state parks, except for Watoga State Park, West Virginia’s largest.
“This could be a good bill. I think it’s a lot better bill if we add this amendment,” Stover said during the floor debate. “Let’s find out what this thing does before we risk state parks.”
The chamber rejected the amendment and passed the bill as is. It now goes to the House of Delegates.