West Virginia Executive Spring 2019 | Page 67

Celebrating More than 100 Years of West Virginia Coal West Virginia coal has been energizing America for more than a century, powering blast furnaces and bringing 100 percent reliable baseload fuel to power plants. Each nugget of coal holds a spe- cial place in the state’s economy because it represents the hard work of thousands of West Vir- ginia coal miners who make sure Americans have power whenever and wherever they need it. While coal is facing new competition today because of changes in the domestic marketplace, its export markets remain the envy of other industrial sectors. Thanks to West Virginia lead- ership, the coal industry is finally getting a more fair, more balanced tax environment that will allow better competition with other coal-producing regions. The future for West Virginia coal is bright. Support our miners by being a Friend of Coal. www.wvcoal.com Industry Impact While the coal industry has had its challenges with natural market forces and inappropriate government suppression, coal production today is a bright spot in the Mountain State’s economy. According to recent studies, coal and coal-fired electric power generation contribute billions in economic activity to West Virginia—as much as $12.9 billion in 2017. The industry pours hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue into state and local governments and allows tens of thousands of citizens to provide for their families and remain in West Virginia. Regional Access Supporting Responsible Development Why is it important to be aware of the natural resources on a po- tential development site? In most cases, an environmental assess- ment is required to gain permit approval on a new project such as a pipeline or commercial devel- opment to ensure that streams, wetlands or other habitats are not located within the limits of the proposed disturbance or are avoided or mitigated properly. Voluntary site assessments can also save time and money in the long run by helping companies avoid potential environmental liabilities or anticipate and budget for engineering design changes. “Environmental issues can slow and even stop a project,” says Gailey Environmental President and Lead Scientist Adam Gailey. “My goal has always been to help my clients identify the issues early and effectively navigate them through the permit process.” www.gaileyenvironmental.com | (412) 770-4698 Gailey Environmental, an environmental education and consulting company, brings hands-on wetland delineation training to several regional locations in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania multiple times a year. Without the added expenses of travel and per diem, local availability has made it affordable for firms of all sizes to obtain this critical training for their staff. Considered a first step in any development project, the availability of formally trained wetland delineation professionals throughout the state of West Virginia allows for accurate, faster and more cost-effective approaches for development in Appalachia. WWW.WVEXECUTIVE.COM SPRING 2019 65