Charleston Gazette-Mail – Earlier this year, at a legislative breakfast in Charleston, representatives from two of West Virginia’s natural gas associations spoke about the economic benefits of the industry. Read full article.
The state was prospering thanks to the oil and gas industry, said Charlie Burd, executive director of the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia. In 2018, the industry contributed $139 million in severance taxes, and $88 million and property taxes, Burd told the room.
“When you drive out there and see everything that’s going on, you see all those new schools and nice things; that’s the reason why,” he said.
This wasn’t the first time Burd, or other industry officials, promoted the gas industry’s positive influence. But while Burd was trumpeting the industry’s contributions to tax coffers, major producers were quietly litigating against multiple counties and state tax officials to dramatically slash those tax payments.