West Virginia Code
Article 21. Coalbed Methane Wells and Units
§22-21-28. Penalties

(a) Any person who violates any term or condition of a permit issued under this article, and the violation is found by the chief or review board to have rendered unmineable all or a portion of a workable coal seam, is subject to civil penalties, to be imposed and collected by the chief or review board in an amount not to exceed the reasonably expected net profit lost to the coal owner as a result. All penalties collected shall be transferred to the special reclamation fund as provided by section twenty-nine, article six of this chapter.
(b) Any person who violates any provision of this article, any of the rules promulgated by the chief or review board or any order of the chief or review board other than a violation governed by the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000.
(c) Any person who, with the intention of evading any provision of this article, any of the rules promulgated by the chief or any order of the chief or review board, who makes or causes to be made any false entry or statement in any application or other document permitted or required to be filed under the provisions of this article, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned in the county jail not more than six months, or both fined and imprisoned.
(d) Any person who knowingly aids or abets any other person in the violation of any provision of this article, any of the rules promulgated hereunder or any order or final decision of the chief or review board or director, shall be subject to the same penalty as that prescribed in this article for the violation by such other person.

Structure West Virginia Code

West Virginia Code

Chapter 22. Environmental Resources

Article 21. Coalbed Methane Wells and Units

§22-21-1. Declaration of Public Policy; Legislative Findings

§22-21-2. Definitions

§22-21-3. Application of Article; Exclusions; Application of Chapter Twenty-Two-B to Coalbed Methane Wells

§22-21-4. Chief; Powers and Duties Generally

§22-21-5. Duties of the Coalbed Methane Review Board; Meetings; Notice, Powers and Duties Generally

§22-21-6. Permit Required for Coalbed Methane Well; Permit Fee; Application; Soil Erosion Control Plan; Penalties

§22-21-7. Consent and Agreement of Coal Owner or Operator

§22-21-8. Performance Bonds; Corporate Surety or Other Security

§22-21-9. Notice to Owners

§22-21-10. Procedure for Filing Comments

§22-21-11. Objections or Comments to Coalbed Methane Wells by Coal Owner or Operator; Hearings

§22-21-12. Review of Application; Issuance of Permit in the Absence of Objections; Copy of Permits to County Assessor

§22-21-13. Review Board Hearing; Findings; Order

§22-21-14. Protective Devices Required When a Coalbed Methane Well Penetrates Workable Coalbed; When a Coalbed Methane Well Is Drilled Through Horizon of Coalbed From Which Coal Has Been Removed; Notice of Stimulation; Results of Stimulation

§22-21-15. Drilling Units and Pooling of Interests

§22-21-16. Notice to Owners

§22-21-17. Review of Application; Hearing; Pooling Order; Spacing; Operator; Elections; Working Interests, Royalty Interests, Carried Interests, Escrow Account for Conflicting Claims, Division Order

§22-21-18. Operation on Drilling Units

§22-21-19. Validity of Unit Agreements

§22-21-20. Spacing

§22-21-21. Dry or Abandoned Wells

§22-21-22. Notice of Plugging and Reclamation of Well; Right to Take Well; Objection; Plugging Order; Plugging for Mine-Through

§22-21-23. Method of Plugging

§22-21-24. Existing Mining Rights

§22-21-25. Judicial Review; Appeal to Supreme Court of Appeals; Legal Representation for Review Board

§22-21-26. Limitation on Actions in Trespass

§22-21-27. Injunctive Relief

§22-21-28. Penalties

§22-21-29. Construction