Justice, Roberts praise state economic progress (WV MetroNews)

August 30, 2017

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Cable news channel CNBC ranked West Virginia at the bottom of its states for business in July, citing a decline in mining and coal production, as well as having the least educated workforce in the United States.

More than a month later, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce President Steve Roberts said the state’s business community is growing.

“More people are working, more coal is being produced, more natural gas is being produced, tax revenues are up,” he said Wednesday on MetroNews “Talkline.”

“Things are on the mend in West Virginia.”

Roberts’ remarks came as the state Chamber of Commerce began its annual Meeting and Business Summit at The Greenbrier. Vice President Mike Pence and Gov. Jim Justice were among does who spoke on the start of the three-day event.

According to U.S. Energy Information Administration’s short-term energy outlook, natural gas and coal production has increased over the past year.

“People are going to look around and say, ‘Wow, West Virginia has bottomed out. West Virginia begun making a comeback,’” Roberts said.

Lawmakers are pushing for a natural gas energy facility in Appalachia. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said the center added a needed center to the nation’s natural gas capacity, much of which is based in the Gulf Coast region of the United States.

Justice, who spoke at the summit Wednesday afternoon, said state Commerce Secretary Woody Thrasher and the Trump administration are dedicated to bringing jobs to West Virginia and grow the state’s gas severance tax revenue.

“(Thrasher’s) all behind bringing the crackers. He’s all behind bringing the manufacturing,” the governor said. “We have a voice and we have an ear in the White House, and I can tell you they’re behind it, too.”

Justice also said he has been talking to members of Trump’s cabinet, noting U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, about his plan to place a $4.5 billion subsidy for power companies that use coal from Appalachia.

“Do I feel overly confident that this is going to be done? No. It’s too big,” Justice said. “But do I feel overly confident that we have stabilized in our thermal production? I do.”

Justice said he is presenting the program “every day almost” to the Trump administration.