Maryland’s proposed coal fee faces opposition from West Virginia

Published

1 year ago

March 12, 2025

Maryland’s proposed coal fee faces opposition from West Virginia

A POTENTIAL FEE ON COAL IN MARYLAND IS DRAWING OPPOSITION FROM WEST VIRGINIA-

ONE OF THE NATION’S LARGEST EXPORTERS OF THIS ENERGY SOURCE.

MARYLAND LAWMAKERS ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING A BILL THAT WOULD IMPOSE A CHARGE OF 13 DOLLARS PER SHORT TON OF COAL TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE STATE.

DUBBED THE COAL DUST CLEANUP AND ASTHMA REMEDIATION ACT, MONEY FROM IT WOULD GO TOWARDS REDUCING POLLUTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOSSIL FUEL.

HOWEVER, WEST VIRGINIA’S ATTORNEY GENERAL J.B. MCCUSKEY SUGGESTS THE LEGISLATION COULD BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

ARGUING IT VIOLATES THE COMMERCE CLAUSE OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION-

WHICH PROHIBITS STATES FROM ENACTING LAWS THAT UNDULY RESTRICT OR DISCRIMINATE AGAINST INTERSTATE TRADE.

MCCUSKEY CLAIMS THE BILL WILL “NEARLY DOUBLE THE COST OF SENDING COAL TO OR THROUGH MARYLAND”-

AND ASSERTS STATES SHOULD NOT QUOTE “FILL THEIR COFFERS AT THE EXPENSE OF HARD-WORKING AMERICANS MILES AWAY.”

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WROTE A LETTER TO MARYLAND HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS URGING THEM TO TABLE THE LEGISLATION-

IN WHICH HE CLAIMED IT INAPPROPRIATELY EXTRACTS LARGE SUMS OF MONEY FROM ENERGY SUPPLIERS TO BANKROLL MARYLAND’S BUDGET.

WHILE, WEST VIRGINIA IS THE NUMBER TWO LEADING STATES IN COAL PRODUCTION, MARYLAND RANKS MUCH LOWER-

COMING IN AT 16TH IN 2023, ACCORDING TO THE U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION.

BUT, MARYLAND IS HOME TO THE PORT OF BALTIMORE, THE SECOND-LARGEST COAL EXPORTING PORT IN THE COUNTRY-

THOUGH ACHIEVING THAT STATUS REPORTEDLY CAME AT THE EXPENSE OF NEARBY RESIDENTS.

A 2024 STUDY BY RESEARCHERS AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY FOUND MEASURABLE AMOUNTS OF COAL DUST TRAVELING TO COMMUNITIES NEARLY A MILE AWAY FROM THE PORT-

IMPACTING SCHOOLS, PLAYGROUNDS AND HOMES.

TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM-

FUNDS GENERATED BY MARYLAND’S COAL FEE WILL BE ALLOCATED TO THE STATE’S FOSSIL FUEL MITIGATION FUND…INTENDED TO ADDRESS ASTHMA TREATMENT IN AFFECTED COMMUNITIES.

MCCUSKEY SAYS WEST VIRGINIA SUPPORTS THESE EFFORTS BY MARYLAND TO SOLVE WHAT HE CALLS ITS INTERNAL PROBLEMS-

BUT CLAIMS ONLY 2 PERCENT OF FUNDS FROM THE BILL WILL ACTUALLY GO TO THE FOSSIL FUEL MITIGATION FUND-

AND THE REST WOULD BE ADDED TO THE STATE’S GENERAL FUND.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FURTHER ASSERTS THE PORT OF BALTIMORE’S IMPORTANCE TO WEST VIRGINIA’S COAL EXPORTS-

MAKING UP OVER 50 PERCENT OF ITS TOTAL EXPORT PRODUCT-

WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AN INCREASE IN COSTS FOR HIS STATE OF 182 MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY.

MCCUSKEY HAS OFFERED TO WORK WITH MARYLAND ON POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES TO ADDRESSING THE STATE’S ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS REGARDING COAL-

THOUGH HE WARNED THAT IF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION MOVES FORWARD WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL REVISIONS, WEST VIRGINIA WILL LIKELY BE COMPELLED TO PURSUE LEGAL ACTION.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.

Source link

Related Topics:baltimore Coal constitution distro Energy Featured imds Maryland news update newsbreak oovvuu smartnews VE west virginia

Click to comment

WV officials mark Go Orange Day, urge work zone safety – WV MetroNews

Published

5 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Press Room

WV officials mark Go Orange Day, urge work zone safety – WV MetroNews

CHARLESTON, W.Va. –“Safe actions save lives” is being stressed by state and local officials in West Virginia during National Work Zone Awareness Week.

Photo: MetroNews’ Jack Carlson

“It sounds simple but, in the field, it is a matter of life and death, work zones are temporary, but the risks are permanent,” State Transportation Secretary Steven Todd Rumbaugh said Wednesday during a work zone safety press conference. “Last year hundreds of people across the country lost their lives in work zone crashes and here’s the sobering truth the majority of those killed aren’t just workers, they are drivers and their passengers.”

Rumbaugh was joined by law enforcement, contractors, and state and federal officials to commemorate Go Orange Day, which is part of Work Zone Awareness Week.

In 2025, there were 800 crashes in West Virginia highway work zones, resulting in 301 injuries and five deaths. Those deaths included James Harper, 24, a West Virginia Turnpike worker who was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 77. The driver swerved to avoid a dump truck and struck Harper with the trailer.

State and local officials used the news conference to urge motorists to pay attention in work zones.

Contractors Association of West Virginia CEO Jason Pizatella said everyone deserves to go home safely after working to ensure the roads are safe.

“These men and women, as the pastor said, are fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles who put their lives at risk to improve our highway system and they deserve to do so safely to benefit all West Virginians and those who visit here,” Pizatella said.

Go Orange Day was first introduced in Virginia in 1997 and became part of a nationwide campaign with Work Zone Awareness Week in 2000.

Governor’s Highway Safety Program representative Amy Boggs said they want motorists to follow a few key safety practices in highway work zones.

“We need you to pay attention, we need you to not speed, we need you take responsibility for what you do out on the roadways, whether you’re driving, you’re a passenger, you’re on a bicycle or a motorcycle, whether you’re walking or in a wheelchair you need to take responsibility for what you can take responsibility for,” Boggs said.

Rumbaugh said officials ask motorists to put their phones down while driving, slow down in work zones, and expect the unexpected because work zones are always changing.

He said people need to ensure that work zone safety remains an everyday commitment.

“Work zone safety isn’t just a department initiative, it’s a driver’s responsibility, and while today (Wednesday) is Go Orange Day, as I’ve said before it isn’t a phrase we acknowledge for a day, for a week, or a month every year it’s a front of mind commitment,”

Pizatella said that if everyone puts in an effort to ensure work zone safety, they can make 2026 a safe year.

“You’re efforts and everyone here today protect the men and women out there building a better West Virginia, if we all do our part, we can make the 2026 construction season the very safest on record,” he said.

MetroNews Jack Carlson contributed to this story

Source link

West Virginia

Chemical emergency at Kanawha County plant – WV MetroNews

Published

17 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Press Room

Chemical emergency at Kanawha County plant – WV MetroNews

State Route 25 is blocked near the plant.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY AND WILL BE UPDATED:

INSTITUTE, W.Va. — The Institute Fire Department has called a precautionary shelter-in-place for those living in close proximity to the Catalyst Refiners plant.

According to Kanawha County Emergency Manager C.W. Sigman said there was an incident involving an acid-based material at around 9:30 .am. Wednesday.

According to Sigman, most of the material which was spilled was inside a building and it largely contained and the shelter-in-place is precautionary.

Emergency crews are on the scene treating multiple patents at the plant. The extent of injuries is not known.

A media briefing has been scheduled for 2 p.m.

CAMC/Vandalia confirmed they were preparing for patients as is WVU Medicine Thomas Hospital where they’ve activated their Incident Command Center.

The plant is located between Institute and Nitro. The roadway is shut down on 1st Ave S in Institute from New Goff Mountain Rd to Kilowatt Rd.

The shelter-in-place is for a one-mile radius of the plant and includes the West Virginia State University campus.

The shelter-in-place put into effect for St. Albans was lifted at 10:30 a.m.

Source link

West Virginia

PSC hears public comments on possible WV American Water takeover of Lincoln PSD

Published

1 day ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

PSC hears public comments on possible WV American Water takeover of Lincoln PSD

CHARLESTON, W.Va (WCHS) — The West Virginia PSC held a public comment hearing on Tuesday regarding West Virginia American Water taking over Lincoln Lincoln Public Service District.

Only one person spoke out sharing what they’d like to see done if West Virginia American Water acquires the Lincoln PSD.

“If the company wants to get to folks who really need water, they should be looking at areas where drilling well is nearly impossible, like mine, which is actually closer to the lines than some of the places they mention in their filing. My neighbors and I live closer to the main water lines than the proposed Sugar Tree Road extension or the one and a half miles out to the campground that they plan on serving,” a Lincoln PSD customer shared during the meeting.

Lincoln PSD issued a boil water advisory on January 26th, and it wasn’t lifted until March 31st, leaving some customers not able to use what was coming out of their faucets.

Just last year, the Lincoln County Commission voted to move forward with the dissolution of the Lincoln PSD, but, in September, the district filed a petition to stop the sale to West Virginia American Water. Soon after in November, PSC staff submitted a request asking the applicants to give specific financial information.

West Virginia American Water issued the following statement at Tuesday’s meeting:

“West Virginia American Water has been working collaboratively with the Lincoln County Commission and the Lincoln County Public Service District Board regarding the possible acquisition of the Lincoln County Public Service District. The proposal would involve the purchase of the 2,532-customer system. We appreciate the opportunity for public input and look forward to continuing to work through the Public Service Commission’s review process.”

Lincoln PSD customers received a letter in the mail this week stating that the system violated drinking water monitoring requirements. The utility noted what was done to correct the situation and added that customers are not at risk.

Customers were also alerted Tuesday night of a boil water notice tonight due to a recent inspection concluding that the utility is not currently meeting the minimum disinfection requirements for surface water facilities.

Source link