Attorneys general from West Virginia and Kentucky have sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over a recent policy that raised air quality standards nationally.
Filed Wednesday, the lawsuit claims that adjusting to the new standard would financially burden manufacturing and infrastructure projects. EPA officials have said the new policy reduces major public health risks.
Controversy grew in February after the EPA lowered the maximum concentration for particulate matter in the air by 25 percent, requiring companies to reduce their levels of air pollution.
Particulate matter refers to particles invisible to the naked eye, like some forms of soot and smoke. When inhaled, these particles can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, blood abnormalities and even lung damage.
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The EPA has stated that raising air quality standards will reduce these health risks and the costs associated with them.
EPA officials have already stated that all 55 counties in West Virginia already meet the new air quality standards. Some regions with major industrial activity, like parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio, might not.
But in a press release Wednesday, Morrisey said the new measure marks an EPA attempt “to advance [President Joe] Biden’s radical climate agenda.”
The new rule is being enforced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a federal agency tasked with monitoring financial markets and watching for financial fraud. Companies are now being asked to estimate their potential greenhouse gasses to the SEC.
“How is the company supposed to know if greenhouse gas emission will affect its finances?” he said. “How many trucks are going to be too many? How much coal to use versus natural gas or other forms of energy?Tktk.”
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The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 24 states in the D.C. Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Wednesday’s lawsuit also listed EPA Administrator Michael Regan as a defendant. Beyond the lawsuit, EPA intervention in state air pollution standards stands on shaky ground.
Last month, members of the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments against another EPA policy from representatives of several different states, including West Virginia.
Some have said that the justices are poised to overturn that policy, which cracks down on the emission of air pollution across state lines. This could mark the third Supreme Court case lost by the EPA recently.
Under the Dome delivers a review of issues being considered by the West Virginia Legislature. It provides information on matters that affect WVU and higher education, as well as other hot topics being addressed that impact the Mountain State and its citizens. This edition includes a rundown of issues considered during the May Special Session.
Read today’s (May 23) edition.
For more information and to read all available editions of “Under the Dome,” visit the Under the Dome page on the Government Relations website.
NITRO, W.Va. — The thousands of bikers who run for the wall in Washington D.C. every year say they ride for those who can’t.
Around 325 of them rolled through the City of Nitro Wednesday afternoon for a ceremony at the Living Memorial Park. That morning, they were in Corydon, Indiana. On Monday, Memorial Day, riders will be in Washington D.C. at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall.
Three of the four total routes run by bikers start in Ontario, California. The fourth “sandbox” route leaves D.C. and heads to Marseilles, Ilinois on the Sunday of the Memorial Day weekend. All other routes, the central route, the midway route and the southern route, start in California and end up at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.
Day eight of their 10 day mission brought them through West Virginia. On Thursday, riders part of the central route will be at the Veterans Memorial on the Capitol Grounds in Charleston before traveling to Rainelle in Greenbrier County and then spending Thursday night in Lewisburg.
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Not all riders are veterans but that doesn’t matter to the rest of the crew. Todd Taylor, West Virginia Coordinator of Run for the Wall, says he’d describe the rest of the riders as patriots.
“We’re honoring our military and fallen soldiers,” he said. “Some of us are veterans and some of us are patriots.”
Taylor said the support and American spirit they’ve seen from folks in all the different towns and cities along the way has truly been unforgettable.
“It’s almost like a tunnel of flags at almost every evening stop we go to,” he said. “The whole community comes out to support us and cheer us on.”
Almost every overpass that the riders go through has people packed above with their American flags and firetrucks standing by.
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Rider Suzan Streed hails from Loveland, Colorado. It’s her first year taking part in the Run for the Wall. A rich history of veterans in her family were enough of a reason for her to make the cross-country trip.
“It’s a journey and an awesome ride,” she said.
Streed said she’s excited to get to D.C. but the past few days have been a remarkable experience for her. She’s made plenty of friends along the way, both who are also riders and people who stop in town to see them come through.
“It’s heartwarming,” said Streed. “There’s a lot of friends and then you make more friends.”
Robert Thornton is a veteran himself. After 10 years of riding across the country in the Run for the Wall, the 76-year-old said time is catching up to him and this year will be his last.
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Thornton has battled many demons. He said he has severe combat-related PTSD, but he called the ride with over 300 of his fellow bikers “a lifesaver.”
“Coming to the wall every year for the last 10 years has really cleansed my soul,” he said. “I’m clean and sober almost two years now. God has blessed me.”
It’s an emotional 10 days in May for so many bikers across the country, Thornton included. He said every year he goes to see two very special people at the wall.
“It can’t be explained how you feel inside but when I get to the wall, it’s a real psalm feeling,” said Thornton.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia is taking a new approach to teacher recruitment.
A new two-year relocation program, Teachers Ascend into West Virginia is calling for educators across the country to move to the Mountain State and receive incentives to teach in select K-12 schools.
Based at West Virginia University, applications are being accepted now for the first-of-its-kind national effort.
Program recruits will receive a $6,000 stipend with the opportunity to obtain an additional $4,050 in tuition assistance through the WVU College of Applied Human Sciences for those continuing their education.
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West Virginia Public Education Collaborative Director Donna Peduto said those at WVPEC put their heads together to get the program started as a response to the ongoing teacher shortage.
Donna Peduto
“The board was meeting and we wanted to help with the teacher shortage in some way, we work very closely with the West Virginia Department of Education, and we thought there would be some way to help them,” Peduto said.
Peduto said the successful remote worker program, Ascend WV provides a blueprint for the new initiative. That program was started a couple of years ago by former Intuit CEO and Marshall University President Brad Smith and his wife Alys Smith that offers incentives to people to come and work remotely in the state.
She said after some debate, they finally agreed that the idea just might work in applying it to teachers as well.
“At first it seemed like it would be difficult to do because of course as teachers can’t work remotely like the original Ascend can, and you know, there were different incentives and that kind of thing, but we all saw a glimmer of hope in it and we just started to plan it,” she said.
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So far, Peduto said they have received a positive response from teachers across the nation. She said they have received three dozen applications so far from teachers from 15 states.
In addition to the incentives, Peduto said the teachers joining the program will also have plenty of social and outdoor recreation opportunities as well.
She said they will receive mentorship, professional development and coaching, and a chance to collaborate with other educators. Participants will also have access to an outdoor adventure package that includes free opportunities for recreational activities in the New River Gorge National Park and the various state parks.
Peduto said based on her own experience as an educator in the state, she sees this program being a great success as it helps alleviate the teacher shortage and even elevate the profession as a whole.
“I know as a teacher for 24 years I was never really given a stipend to do anything or tuition assistance, or even dedicated time to collaborate with my cohorts, and I think that’s going to be a big part of this,” she said.
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So far, Peduto said they are launching a pilot program for Teachers Ascend in Monongalia and Preston counties.
She said those coming in for the opportunity will get to experience West Virginia for what it’s becoming– a destination.
“Those of us who have lived here a long time know that it is, not only the recreation and the beauty of it, but the warmness of the people, and I think this is really going to be something that sells West Virginia,” said Peduto.
Interested participants can apply by going to WVPEC on the website.
