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NEWS BRIEFS
W.Va. high court to hear park drilling dispute
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A legal battle over whether new natural gas wells can be drilled in Chief Logan State Park has reached the state’s highest court.
The West Virginia Supreme Court has unanimously agreed to hear the state’s appeal of a Logan County judge’s ruling that overturned the denial of permits for nearly three dozen new gas wells.
The permits were sought by Houston-based Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.
Circuit Judge Roger Perry ruled in June that the DEP lacked the authority to deny the permits. Perry said a 1965 statute banning the practice refers to the state Division of Natural Resources, not the DEP.
The DEP contends that it’s required to enforce the law in a manner consistent with other state agencies.
