From the Hill to the Mountains
Advocating for WV Coal Miners in the First Senate Climate Hearing
As Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I advocated for West Virginia energy production during the Senate hearing of the 116th Congress to address the climate crisis. The hearing featured testimony from representatives from the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, NextEra Energy, Rice University Center for Energy Studies, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and Analysis Group, Inc.
If you’re going to change your energy policy can’t you at least use your credits in states that have lost a tremendous amount of traditional energy jobs. If we’re transitioning to a new fuel or energy provider, we can’t leave anyone behind. Because I’ll guarantee you, a coal miner will build you the best darn windmill you’ve ever seen. They’ll build you the best solar panels. They’ve survived underground for hundreds of years, they know what to do. And they’re all experts in their fields. This is what we haven’t done well in these policies.
Click here to view Senator Manchin's closing remarks.
Click here to view Senator Manchin's questioning.
Click here to watch the hearing in full.
Leading the Bipartisan Effort to Clean up Water in WV
This week I introduced bipartisan legislation that would mandate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) within one year of enactment declare per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous substances eligible for cleanup funds under the EPA Superfund law, and also enable a requirement that polluters undertake or pay for remediation.
All West Virginians deserve the comfort of knowing that their drinking water is clean and safe. In 2016, Parkersburg, Martinsburg and Vienna were faced with the daunting news that their citizens needed alternative sources due to unacceptable levels of PFAS in their drinking water systems. And these issues persist in our state today. It is the obligation of the EPA and our government to ensure that the public has as many resources and as much information as possible. While I am disappointed that Administrator Wheeler has not taken more action to address this issue, I’m glad to introduce this legislation to make sure the PFAS is properly labeled as a hazardous substance and subject to CERCLA authority from now on.
Click here for a full timeline of the Senator's efforts to address PFAS contamination in WV and across the country.
Additionally, as member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am proud to announce $689,000 for the West Virginia Department of Environment Protection from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that will address issues related to water pollution around the state of West Virginia. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection will use the contribution to improve water pollution detection by water quality monitoring and assessment, Water Quality Standard (WQS) development, and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development, amongst other measures.
As the Ranking member of Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am committed to making sure that every West Virginian has access to clean water. West Virginia is an energy producing state but that does not mean we have to choose between our economy and clean water. I’m glad that the EPA has chosen to partner with West Virginia to take steps to improve our water quality both for drinking and recreation.
Praise for Facebook's Investment in WV
Facebook has announced that it will lay fiber throughout West Virginia to connect Facebook data centers in Ohio and Virginia. The project will construct 275 miles of fiber through West Virginia between Ashburn, VA and Columbus, OH. The state will gain access to a portion of the fiber while providing Facebook access to the rights-of-way in the state.
“Today’s announcement by Facebook is a great investment in our state. The fiber being placed to connect Ohio and Virginia will be advantageous for West Virginia, which will be able to use some of the fiber provided by Facebook to connect our communities. I have had many meetings with Facebook to address the needs of rural America, including expanding broadband connectivity through investments like the one announced today.
West Virginians deserve to have reliable access to broadband, regardless of where they live in our wonderful state. That’s why I participated in the FCC’s Mobility Fund Phase II Challenge Process last year and have been working to ensure that federal coverage maps, which determine where federal broadband funding goes, accurately depict the real-world experiences of West Virginians. As a member of the Appropriations committee, I have advocated for West Virginia to receive more funding for broadband so that we can build on recent investments by the tech industry. Just a few weeks ago, I was pleased to announce that Infor, the largest privately owned tech company in the word, would be opening a location in downtown Charleston. This weekend, I called on Amazon to consider relocating to West Virginia. Technology companies are realizing the importance of investing in areas like our state and the benefits of such investments are returned tenfold.
This announcement by Facebook is a step in the right direction and I look forward to seeing more critical investments like this in West Virginia.
Encouraging Investment in WV with Amazon Headquarters
Last week I wrote a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, urging him to choose West Virginia as the new site of Amazon’s second headquarters, in response to the cancellation of the headquarters site in Long Island City, New York. The letter highlights West Virginia’s hardworking citizens, business-friendly economic environment, vast interstate highway system, and beautiful landscape as reasons why it is the perfect location for a new Amazon headquarters. Senator Manchin applauds increased investment from tech companies like Infor, IBM, and Leidos in recent years, and believes Amazon could see similar benefits if it were to locate its new headquarters in the state.
The letter said in part, “Mr. Bezos, my little state could benefit from the type of investment Amazon’s second headquarters could bring, and I think Wild and Wonderful West Virginia would contribute more than you could ever believe to your company and your legacy. As West Virginia’s senior U.S. Senator, I pledge to assist in any way I can to make this a reality. West Virginia would make an ideal location for Amazon’s second headquarters. But don’t take my word for it, go to the state and ask anyone. They’ll give you the right directions. And they’ll take you anywhere you want to go."
Click here to read the full letter.
|