Environment (Parks & Recreation)

SB 996 designates Jennings Randolph Lake in Mineral County as an official West Virginia State Park, adding it to the existing state park system. The bill authorizes the Division of Natural Resources to manage, maintain, and improve the park, including entering cooperative agreements with entities like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for operations and recreation. It clarifies that federal jurisdiction over the lake and dam remains unaffected. The bill title mentions "Teter Creek Lake State Park," but the text only creates Jennings Randolph Lake State Park (the Teter Creek reference appears to be an error in the title). This change directly affects visitors, local communities, and park management authorities by formalizing the lake's status for recreation and conservation.

SB 826 is a supplementary appropriation bill that increases funding for the State Parks and Recreation Endowment Fund (fund 3211) within the Division of Natural Resources for fiscal year 2026. It raises current expenses from $13,000 to $25,000 and other assets from $69,000 to $6,500,000. This directly provides additional resources for managing West Virginia's state parks, including operations and facility maintenance during the 2026 fiscal year.

SB 770 establishes West Virginia's Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Act, creating a nine-member commission within the Division of Natural Resources to manage OHV recreation. The commission will designate public lands as OHV recreation areas, develop safety and environmental regulations (including speed limits, emissions, and trail restrictions), and administer a dedicated fund financed by OHV fees, fines, and state/federal funding. Private landowners may apply for grants to develop OHV trails under commission guidelines, while the program requires environmental impact assessments and annual reporting on expenditures and recreational impacts. The bill directly affects OHV users, land managers, and local communities through new regulatory frameworks and funding mechanisms for sustainable recreation.

HB 5318 increases funding for West Virginia's state parks and recreation operations by supplementing existing budget lines. It adds $12,000 to "Current Expenses" (raising the total to $25,000) and $6.43 million to "Other Assets" (raising the total to $6.5 million) within the Department of Commerce's State Parks and Recreation Endowment Fund. This bill uses unappropriated funds from the 2026 fiscal year to cover these increases, directly affecting the Division of Natural Resources' park management. The change is purely procedural, adjusting budget allocations without creating new policies or programs.

HB 4126 modifies how royalties from mineral leasing beneath the Ohio River are distributed to state park funding. Starting July 1, 2026, 50% of these royalties will fund state park operations, maintenance, and improvements unless the fund balance reaches $100 million, at which point 100% will be allocated. The bill directly affects state parks, forests, and rail trails by changing their primary revenue source from these mineral royalties. It does not create new programs but adjusts existing distribution rules based on the fund's balance. The change aims to ensure consistent funding for recreational facilities while allowing the fund to grow toward a $100 million threshold.

SB 487 creates the West Virginia Trails, Access, and Stewardship Act to establish a coordinated statewide system of non-motorized trails (hiking, biking, equestrian, water trails, and ADA-accessible segments). It forms the West Virginia Trail Authority to set uniform standards for trail development, safety, wildlife protection, and emergency response, while creating a dedicated Trail Maintenance and Stewardship Fund for long-term upkeep. The bill directly affects state agencies, trail users, landowners (by prioritizing voluntary agreements over eminent domain for trail corridors), and communities through economic development opportunities. Key provisions include mandating statewide signage, mapping, flood management protocols, and clarifying that existing whitewater outfitter regulations remain unchanged.