A. The Virginia Gas and Oil Board is established as a policy board in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board is to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
B. The Board shall have a total membership of seven members that shall consist of six nonlegislative citizen members and one ex officio member. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Board shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, as follows: one who is a representative of the gas and oil industry and not the coal industry, one who is a representative of the coal industry and not the gas and oil industry, and four who are not representatives of the gas, oil, or coal industry. The Director or his designee shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. A chairman shall be designated by the Governor from among the membership of the Board.
C. All vacancies occurring on the Board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment within 60 days of the occurrence of the vacancy. The ex officio member of the Board shall serve terms coincident with such member’s term of office. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of six years from the day on which the term of their immediate predecessor expired. All members may be reappointed. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Board shall be citizens of the Commonwealth, and the Governor shall seek to appoint persons who reside in localities with significant oil or gas production or storage.
D. Each member of the Board shall receive compensation for the performance of his duties as provided in § 2.2-2813. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Department.