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Maryland’s proposed coal fee faces opposition from West Virginia

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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.

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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-

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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-

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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-

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

 

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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.

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West Virginia

Ohio couple aims to uplift central West Virginia via $100K gift to WVU

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Ohio couple aims to uplift central West Virginia via 0K gift to WVU


More than 10 years after moving away from the Mountain State, an Ohio couple is strengthening their commitment to central West Virginia with a $100,000 gift to expand local outreach and experiential learning opportunities via the West Virginia University Center for Community Engagement, a unit under the WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement.

George Lee and Rosemary H. Fisher first came to West Virginia in 1975, when they purchased a small farm in Braxton County. They maintained the farm for nearly 40 years and became deeply connected to their neighbors and the community.

“Our hearts have always been centered there, even though we’ve moved on to a different phase of our lives,” Lee said. “I think when you experience a place like West Virginia for as long as we did, it just naturally becomes a part of you.”

The Fishers’ gift to WVU establishes a namesake fund that supports the Purpose2Action program, a paid community engagement experience that places undergraduate students with nonprofit and public-sector organizations to work on mission-driven projects. Per the couple’s wishes, first preference will be given to students from Braxton County and/or student engagement work with Braxton County nonprofits.

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The fund prioritizes projects and organizations focused on youth education, entrepreneurship, technology, nutrition, veterans, animals, career development and food scarcity.

“Students are curious and motivated to apply classroom learning to real-world challenges that enrich their education while gaining valuable career skills and making a meaningful impact in local communities,” WVU Center for Community Engagement Director and Assistant Dean Kristi Wood-Turner said.

The Fishers met as undergraduates at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and spent their careers in the Philadelphia area, where Lee worked in corporate finance for the rail industry and Rosemary was a schoolteacher.

The Braxton County farm fulfilled a lifelong dream for Lee and served as a peaceful getaway for the couple until the early 2000s, when they retired and moved there full-time.

“It was like going home,” Rosemary said.

They both volunteered at Little Birch Elementary and belonged to the Braxton County Rotary Club, among other community groups.

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At the urging of then-Governor Joe Manchin, Lee got involved at the state level. He held leadership roles with the West Virginia Board of Accountancy, the West Virginia Broadband Deployment Council and TechConnect WV. Lee, who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, was also involved in veterans’ affairs issues.

In their spare time, Lee enjoyed fishing, while Rosemary sewed and quilted. She has given away over 100 quilts to West Virginia friends and neighbors as graduation presents, condolence gifts, recognition for military service and more.

The couple previously established the Lee and Rosemary Fisher Scholarship to benefit graduates of Braxton County High School who attend WVU.

“We’ve both been blessed with being able to give things away, and I think that’s partially due to the way we were raised,” Lee said. “Our parents recognized there’s always someone else who may live next door that might be in a worse situation than you are, so don’t let you become the subject of your whole life. Recognize there are people around you that you might be able to help, and if you’re in a position to provide that help, just do it. That’s the way we’ve looked at all our gifts.”

The Fishers noted that rural communities in central West Virginia face unique challenges that aren’t easily understood by residents of Morgantown, Martinsburg and other cities in the state, so they wanted to help. They hope their generosity enriches central West Virginia communities, broadens the skills and perspective of students from the area, and inspires others to give.

“When we decided we would create this gift, we were determined that it was going to stay in the center of the state and not go anywhere else,” Lee said.

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Despite the Fishers’ passion for West Virginia, health struggles prompted them to return to Oxford in 2013. They have family nearby, and Lee has continued his education at Miami University, taking over a dozen courses in the past decade.

In addition to spending time in Florida, Rosemary said the couple still returns to Braxton County regularly to visit their “adopted family on the hill.”

“The students’ willingness to serve truly changes the lives of our fellow citizens and enriches their learning here at WVU,” Associate Vice President and Dean of the Division for Land-Grant Engagement Jorge Atiles said. “We are so thankful for thoughtful donors like the Fishers who share a passion for service and for our West Virginia communities.”

The Fishers’ gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.



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DNR hears from community on Forks of Coal Natural Area “Master plan” – WV MetroNews

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DNR hears from community on Forks of Coal Natural Area “Master plan” – WV MetroNews


CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia DNR held a public meeting Tuesday evening in regard to the master plan for the Forks of Coal Natural Area in Kanawha County.

Residents were able to stop by the Claudia L. Workman Wildlife Education Center in Alum Creek and were able to comment on what they wanted to see in the future at the facility.

“Public comments are very important. It helps us gauge public interest and we are also able to help determine what is most important to the public,” said Zack Brown, the assistant chief of operations for the wildlife resources section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. “I might have a certain idea that doing ‘project x’ is the most important, but if the public comes to us and says ‘No, we really need that parking lot so that we can get access to that new area across the road, then that makes sense and maybe we put that as priority one.”

Todd Schoolcraft, the landscape architect and project manager with EL Robinson Engineering Company, says the area is divided into a couple of sections, and both will be seeing improvements.

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“It’s kind of like a two-fold project. We have Forks of Coal North, which is already developed, and we’re expanding on that development and improving it. Then we have an additional plus or minus 200 acres that we’re calling Forks of Coal South that we’re now developing newly and is just coming into the park system.”

Representatives with the DNR had several different ideas they’ve floated around presented to the public on display boards at the meeting Tuesday.

Brown says some of these ideas could soon turn into long-term parts of the facility.

“We brainstormed and got some ideas of how we can help develop facilities out here,” Brown said. “This is a long-term plan that will help us as we proceed forward and as funding becomes available. It helps our foundation know what grants to apply for.”

11 ideas have been presented for Forks of Coal North. They are as follows:

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  • New trail on the Little Coal River side connecting FOC North with FOC South
  • New service vehicle access and pedestrian trail on the Big Coal River side connecting FOC North and FOC South
  • A boardwalk in the pollinator field to help users navigate the wet areas
  • An outdoor classroom near the pollinator field
  • A shelter located on the edge of the parking lot near the Yellow and Blue Trails trailhead
  • Detention pond beautification via a new rain garden/bioretention area near the main parking lot
  • An ADA accessible pathway to the top of Roof Rock
  • A trail connecting Mine Portal Trail with Yellow Trail
  • Reconfiguration of existing amphitheater
  • Closure of historic pedestrian suspension bridges due to deterioration
  • New benches and interpretive signs

10 ideas have been presented for Forks of Coal South. They are as follows:

  • School House Fire Trail Trailhead located across from existing main entrance to FOC North
  • Tree limb trimming to improve sight distances for users entering and exiting the new trailhead parking lot
  • Sorghum Patch Bypass Trail that will provide service vehicle access and pedestrians under the Corridor G bridges to FOC North
  • Gore Mountain and Jeep Trail Lookout Towers
  • Fence around the Hill property
  • Various trail improvements
  • New amphitheater/outdoor classroom located in the open field
  • The Crooked Branch Trail extension
  • Cemetery access
  • New benches and interpretive signs

Chapmanville resident Kenneth Wilson says the center is vital for the next generation in and around Kanawha County.

“This is a real educational tool for children,” Wilson said.

“We need to expand it as much as possible and put more things in here for people to see,” he continued.

Public comments for the master plan will be accepted until June 6. You can submit comments at sites.google.com/wv.gov/forks-of-coal-master-plan



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West Virginia Remains Ranked in Three of the National Polls

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West Virginia Remains Ranked in Three of the National Polls


The West Virginia University baseball program was swept at home by the Kansas Jayhawks over the weekend and fell out of the two top 25 polls.

West Virginia remains ranked in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers association (17) USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll (23) and Perfect Game (23), while dropping out of D1baseball.com and Baseball America.

The Mountaineers sit 28th in the RPI.

West Virginia lost five of its last six Big 12 Conference games, including four consecutive decisions to end the regular season. However, Mountaineers clinched the program’s second Big 12 regular season championship, the first outright title since joining the league in 2013.

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Junior Sam White has a team-high batting average of .352 with 39 RBI, senior Kyle West has clubbed a team-best nine home runs and is hitting .352, which ranks second on the team, and senior Jace Rinehart leads the team in RBI and is third on the team with a .333 batting average.

Senior Jack Kartsonas leads the team with a 2.29 ERA, senior Griffin Kirn has recorded a team-leading 83 strikeouts, while sophomore Chase Meyer is leading the team with eight wins.

West Virginia in the National Rankings

D1Baseball: NR

USA TODAY Sports: 23

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NCBWA: 17

Baseball America: NR

Perfect Game: 23

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