SB618 mandates that all carbon credits originating from real property or standing timber in West Virginia, regardless of ownership, must be transacted exclusively through the state-run West Virginia Carbon Exchange, managed by the Division of Forestry. The program's goal is to oversee the sale and purchase of carbon credits generated through timber harvest restrictions and other forestry practices.
The West Virginia State Senate passed SB618 on February 28, 2024 by a vote of 27 to 5. We have assigned pluses to the nays because by mandating centralized control over unconstitutional carbon-credit transactions through a state-run exchange, SB618 undermines private-property rights and imposes top-down economic controls and restrictions reminiscent of socialist-style market manipulation. This bill forces landowners and businesses into a government-controlled system that restricts their freedom to manage their own resources. Additionally, by facilitating carbon trading through state intervention, West Virginia would be taking a dangerous step toward implementing international climate agendas, such as the United Nations' Agenda 2030, that threaten national sovereignty, property rights, and the U.S. Constitution.
