West Virginia Code Chapter 20. Natural Resources § 20-1-16. Natural Resources Commission--generally

(a) The Natural Resources Commission, created and established by § 20-1-3 of this code, shall be a public benefit corporation and as such may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, contract and be contracted with, and have and use a common seal. It shall be a commission advisory to the director and to the Division of Natural Resources. The commission shall be composed of seven members, known as commissioners, one from each division of natural resources district and the remainder from the state at large, and shall be appointed to provide the broadest geographic distribution possible so that each commissioner shall attend the division sectional meetings established in § 20-1-7(6) of this code within his or her respective district.

(b) The Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint the seven members for the following terms beginning July 1, 2021:

(c) The members of the commission shall be citizens and residents of the state, and shall be selected with special emphasis on his or her interest in the conservation of the natural resources of the state. No member of the commission shall be a candidate for or hold any public office other than that of member of the commission; nor shall he or she be a member of any committee of a political party. In case a member becomes a candidate for or accepts appointment to any public office or political party committee, his or her position as member of the commission shall be immediately vacated. The Director of the Division of Natural Resources may submit recommendations to the Governor for the appointment of the commissioners.

(d) Commissioners are not entitled to compensation for services performed for the commission, but may be reimbursed by the Division of Natural Resources for actual and necessary expenses incurred for each day in which he or she is engaged in the discharge of official duties, the actual expenses not to exceed the amount paid similar reimbursement to members of the Legislature.