Public can comment on energy policy
August 28, 2012 ·
The public is invited to comment on West Virginia’s five year energy development plan, which was created by the state Division of Energy in 2007 and is being updated this year.
Director Jeff Herholdt said the Division focuses on all
types of energy.
“We have involvement in the coal sector, natural gas, energy
efficiency, renewable energy. But most of our activities focus on policy as
well as to try to stimulate energy production in West
Virginia,” he said. “It’s important that we send out
a message that West Virginia is
energy friendly.”
Herholdt pointed out West Virginia
is a major exporter of electricity to other states.
“The amount of electricity that West
Virginia puts in the electric grid, in the electric
grid, is only exceeded by Pennsylvania
and Alabama,” he said. “West
Virginia with 1.8 million people is number three in
the country in the amount of electricity that we put in the grid.”
Herholdt said the state’s status as a major producer sends
out a sign to businesses.
“Especially your energy intensive businesses, your chemical
businesses, we have affordable energy to provide jobs in energy intensive
industries,” he said.
The Division of Energy will conduct three meetings next
month to gather comments from the public. The meetings will include
presentations by professors from West Virginia
University and Marshall
University on fossil fuels, energy
efficiency and renewable energy.
“These are recommendations that Marshall
and West Virginia have made to
us,” Herholdt said. “We are sharing these recommendations with the public and
we would appreciate their input on the recommendations that have been provided
to us.”
“Certainly their creative thinking on how we could further
diversify our economy with the use of these resources in the state,” he added.
Public meetings are planned on September 5 in Huntington
at Big Sandy Superstore Arena, September 6 in Morgantown
at the Erickson Alumni
Center on the campus of West
Virginia University
and September 7 in Martinsburg at the Holiday Inn. All the meetings take place
from 9 a.m. - noon.
Members of the public may register to speak at the meeting
or post comments at www.energywv.org/energyplan