Solar Power Back on the Agenda at the Legislature
A bill authorizing community solar programs in West Virginia was introduced in the House of Delegates on January 17, 2024. The bill, HB 4834, would extend the benefits of solar energy to electric consumers who have no roof space, live in shady…
New Energy Jobs Await West Virginia – If We Just Elect the Right Legislators
Anyone who has been to Weirton in the last decade has seen the shuttered steel plant, with its miles of pipelines, squarely in the middle of town. Now there is new life and hope in Weirton thanks to Form Energy’s long-duration battery facility…
In the News…
Will Carbon Offset Agreements – Or Conservation Easements — Survive in West Virginia?
If you are looking for another example of how the Legislature in West Virginia favors big industry over the little guy, look no further than SB 822, introduced in the Senate on February 16, 2024. This bill attacks carbon offset agreements and…
SB 171: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Unfortunately, the West Virginia Senate has adopted the wholly undemocratic practice of advancing bills at the opening of the annual legislative session without public notice, referral to committee or debate. Senate Bill 171, passed unanimously…
The Virginia Acorn Program – An Idea for West Virginia
This year, Virginia donors sent 12 tons of acorns and other tree seeds to the Virginia Department of Forestry to secure Virginia’s arboreal future. It is all part of a decade-old program to grow and plant hardwood seedlings in Virginia’s…
Carbon Offset Agreements at Risk
Carbon offset agreements are private contracts between emitters of greenhouse gasses and owners of forested lands. These lands act as a natural carbon sink. West Virginia's trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert the carbon…
Where Are We On PFAS Protection in West Virginia?
PFAS is an acronym used as shorthand for several related synthetic chemical compounds. These compounds have unique properties that make them highly stable and resistant to degradation in the environment. For that reason PFAS are called "forever…
No Escape from Fossil Fuels: SB 188 Facilitates Natural Gas Power Plants
In West Virginia, environmentalists need to be realistic about how far the state can depart from fossil fuel power generation. Much of the state’s economy and many jobs are tied up in fossil fuels, both coal and natural gas. Currently, West…