The West Virginia Host Farms Program — A Partnership Program Linking WV Landowners to the Environmental Community for the Study of the Impact of Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Development

The West Virginia Host Farms Program is a volunteer-based initiative. The goal of the program is to provide opportunities for the environmental community to study the impact of Marcellus shale natural gas drilling in the state. This would include academic researchers, journalists, environmental scientists, public policy and environmental law professionals, and advocacy groups, among others who desire to learn more about the environmental impact of Marcellus shale drilling in WV.  

West Virginia landowners who opt to participate in the program become volunteer “host farms.”  These are people who are living on or in close proximity to land where Marcellus wells are already drilled, drilling and hydrofracking is currently taking place, or where such activity is proposed to take place in the near future. Land owners living adjacent to, or in close proximity to natural gas compressor stations are also participants.  Through a managed database of participant landowners, the WV Host Farms Program will serve as a point of contact between those in the environmental community seeking suitable locations for study of Marcellus operations and conditions in WV and those who are landowners able to provide them.  

The WV Host Farms Program is a grassroots effort. We are a group of concerned WV landowners impacted by Marcellus drilling in our area who are networking together.  Our goal is to promote greater opportunities for environmental researchers across the country to access West Virginia to study Marcellus shale drilling.   

Please read our web-site here.  Contributions are solicited at this time.

The WV Host Farms Program, P.O. Box 214, West Union, WV   26456

Information:  www.wvhostfarms.org

E-mail Contact:  wvhostfarms@yahoo.com

Diane Pitcock, 304-873-1932 or 304-873-3764