WV SB730

Establishes a Forest Carbon Registry administered by the Division of Forestry to track all carbon offset agreements and projects affecting West Virginia forestlands

Requires registration to include property legal descriptions with tax map and lot numbers, GIS shapefiles of boundaries, names and contact information of landowners/developers/purchasers, execution dates, and duration of forest management obligations

Places recording responsibility on carbon project developers, or on landowners only when they directly sell carbon offsets without a developer, with a 60-day deadline after executing agreements

Requires existing carbon offset agreements to be filed with county courthouses by July 1, 2027, in a manner ensuring visibility during title searches

Imposes civil penalties for noncompliance: $2,500 for first offense, $5,000 for second offense, and permanent suspension of West Virginia business license for subsequent offenses, with penalties deposited into the division's operating fund