We Cannot Just Stop Old Evils, We Must Also Apply New Remedies

Best commentary that's been heard in a long time. (4.00 / 2)

Greenhouses powered by solar on south facing sites. Solar electric generation farms using panels and concentrators.

Any farming of vegetables, grains, livestock or reforestation must be preceded by bio- and mycoremediation. Nothing much, except some invasive plants, is going to grow until the fertile soil layer is reestablished. A 21st century version of the Civilian Conservation Corps might be a good beginning.

A biological research station to study the process of succession is another possibility.

Finally, it is not so much 'against coal' as it is for responsible environmental stewardship. All that said, not much is going to be possible in this state until we get the coal money out of WV politics.

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by: wv voice of reason @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 17:31:36 PM UTC

Thanks, but... (4.00 / 2)

Lots of people, including especially Clem here, and commentators and commenters elsewhere, have said thoughtful things lately. I've just been listening and put together some ideas that have been expressed.

I agree we have to get the coal money out of politics; we need to get all the special interest money out of politics. (The coal people think the lawyer money is running Rockefeller, for instance ;-)

But I don't think we have to wait until that happens. I think we need to charge ahead on all fronts.

What I'd like to see in the comments here are suggestions for a hundred projects to do locally, building on our strengths, with the people already here, with little capital, maybe leveraging government subsidies, but not looking to lure the solutions from outside. And think of "green" as anything that reduces environmental damage - not just wind, solar, cleaner coal, or more insulation, but anything that gives us less commuting, healthier food, air, water, more time to hunt, fish, sit on the porch and enjoy the view, visit the neighbors - in the end, anything that makes us happier without more stuff.

Go ahead - brainstorm, be a little crazy.  

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by: JAWVMM @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 20:51:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Two more. (0.00 / 0)

Frac water treatment plants for which there is a great need.
Ceramic tile manufacturing from recycled glass (good reason to pass the bottle bill), although there are already idle glass plants that could be re-tooled for this instead of building new ones.

There is always the option of hemp production and manufacturing a myriad of items from it, but that would take a change in federal law.

Some have suggested cold-hardy bamboo for the same reasons as hemp growing/manufacturing, both of which require rebuilding the soil first.

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by: wv voice of reason @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 00:14:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Why not encourage the deep mining of coal by quadrupling the severance fees on surface mined coal? (4.00 / 3)

That's not only NOT anti-coal, it is pro-labor, and because deep mining is far less destructive to our local environment, it is pro WV.

We should remain Manchin's "Extraction State" only if the coal industry agrees to start being good corporate neighbors.

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by: One Citizen @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 00:09:35 AM UTC

Research Triangle of Renewable Energy (4.00 / 1)

I've long said we need the public investment in education and economic incentives to become the Research Triangle of Renewable or Alternative Energy the way North Carolina helped create the Research Triangle for pharmaceuticals and biotechnology companies.

That takes foresight and long term investment that doesn't pay off in one or three election cycles, but that's the kind of bold leadership we need from our state leaders.

When a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it. Sherlock Holmes.

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by: Carnacki @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 16:26:38 PM UTC

model from VA coal fields (4.00 / 1)

In Virginia they plowed severance taxes directly into coal field communities to diversity the local economy: A model of coalfield development in the other Virginia. That's a connection that's been missing in W.Va.

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by: Clem Guttata @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 16:33:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

i missed this discussion. (0.00 / 0)

the spread the coal severance tax all over the state
jefferson county dedicates their share to the 911 emergency center
it's spread out based on population basis not an impact awarded basis
it is separate from general fund revenues

and with no local powers, how's the VA model going to work?
the old B&O tax is available IF you had it back in 1987
but you can charge contractor's twice as much per $100

you think the republican EP delegates would pick this up

NFTT: Support My Team or I Will Dance

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by: CA Berkeley WV @ Sun Oct 25, 2009 at 20:24:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Concentrating severance is a two-edged sword (4.00 / 1)

First, 93% of the severance goes to state government, and 75% of the remainder does go to the coal-producing counties, based on production. Only the comparatively tiny remainder goes to cities and counties, based on population - just enough to say that coal benefits everyone.  The amounts for the coal-producing counties are large enough to do real development with - but they have no incentive to use it to diversify - diversification would compete with coal for labor and control. More local control for say, Boone County, would just worsen that.

And local control for municipalities statewide would be a disaster.  In population, West Virginia is smaller than Houston and about the same as most large US metro areas.  Multiple building codes, ordinances, and tax structures in such a small market would be a barrier to economic development.  I think the metro government approach recognizes this, but doesn't work for the smaller counties, where the local market is spread over not just municipalities, but the neighboring counties. Because of the geographic diversity, there are differing needs, much more than in a metro area of the same population, but we need some coordinated solution, not a very localized oneIMHO.

We also need to think about continuing to diversify and prosper the rest of the state so that coal and coal-dependent revenue is an ever-smaller proportion of state revenues and the economy.

I still think we need to look at private-sector, not government, solutions - and lots of small ones, not a few big ones, and making whatever changes in government regulation are required to facilitate.  For instance, even though it is a Republican plank, I think removing the tax on capital equipment and substituting a tax based on corporate income is a good idea.  Small businesses especially have to take a high risk if they need equipment, paying a tax even if the equipment is not producing or the product isn't selling.

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by: JAWVMM @ Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 14:45:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

repeating again... (4.00 / 2)

Here's some ideas I've been flogging for a while:

My dream is for President Obama to come to West Virginia to announce the formation of an Appalachian Vitalization and Empowerment Authority (AVEA). I'd picture him sharing the stage with Govs. of W.Va. and KY, Sens. Byrd and Rockefeller, to announce:

* an end to any new mountain top removal mining,
* no new valley fills at existing MTR sites
* strict enforcement of safety and environment regulations for auger and underground mining
* rebuilding Marsh Fork Elementary school in a safe location
* a public-private partnership to develop wind power atop Coal River Mountain, underground mining below, and regional economic development (update: a potential model)
* the appointment of an Appalachian job czar to direct stimulus and ACES jobs to the Appalachian region
* a comprehensive program for post-mining land clean-up and reclamation (a la Superfund)

This is one way forward with a win-win for West Virginia and a model for the rest of Appalachia. Not only would these programs put thousands (and thousands!) of West Virginians to work but also West Virginian natives would return to the state to work.

Also, in anticipating a Spring jobs-focused stimulus bill, What could 1,000 West Virginians accomplish in 1,000 Days?

Here are a just a few ideas that spring to mind:

* Make home and community visits for basic screening for major preventable and manageable mental and physical health problems.

* Test water sources for all streams, rivers, and a sample of wells all across the state to develop a baseline of water quality.

* Perform energy audits on homes and provide energy efficiency and green energy installation services.

* Provide more intensive out-patient and community-based services for veterans, disabled, recovering, and other marginalized populations current at risk for "falling through the cracks" of public and private services.

* Assist schools in developing new programs to involve parents, assist under-served populations, and at-risk students (e.g., before, after school programs, etc.).

I'm sure there are all sorts of great ideas people have for how an otherwise idle labor pool can be gainfully employed for the public good. What would you like to see 1,000 West Virginians do for 1,000 days?

Finally, an organization worth a shout out for its grassroots process of envisioning a future WV is Create WV. (See also, A Better West Virginia Blog.)

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by: Clem Guttata @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 16:41:40 PM UTC

Thanks for the prompt additions ;-) We need more. (0.00 / 0)

We have the Appalachian Regional Commission, which was originally formed as something much like Clem's "Appalachian Vitalization and Empowerment Authority"

In addition to Create WV, there is
http://www.visionshared.com

I thought the Hi-Tech Corridor was meant to be a Research Triangle project.

Yes, we need to work toward the stimulus funds going to the kinds of projects Clem listed. Are we keeping track? Who is talking to legislators, local officials, and agencies about these kinds of projects?

A lot of this is working; West Virginia is much better off than 30 years ago. But it still hasn't worked in the southern coal fields, and the mud counties, where unemployment is the worst in the nation.

What I originally had at the end of my diary, and took out for reasons I don't understand now (what was I thinking? - maybe not to inhibit anybody) was to call specifically for things that don't rely on "high-profile, highly subsidized projects such as "green" industries, entertainment or tourism." Or large amounts of capital, luring business and people from outside the state, task forces, white papers, and long-range plans, government subsidies, regulations and using the tax system to shape the economy.

Those are all liberal solutions. Favoring big corporations in the free market is a conservative and failed solution. Are there progressive solutions that build on the grass roots?

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by: JAWVMM @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 18:27:47 PM UTC

Some of that (0.00 / 0)

Some of that is already being done which is probably why no one raised them, such as Create West Virginia and the pushing of the arts community in places like Mercer County.

But it is a big problem and is going to need big solutions involving the very policies you mention.


When a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it. Sherlock Holmes.

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by: Carnacki @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 19:12:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Some of what is already being done? (0.00 / 0)

Also -
Somehow I don't see the arts community saving the coal fields (I believe in the importance of the arts, my son is an artist, but the arts are not a major economic engine.)

My original point was that big solutions are often made of a a lot of small solutions. It is very easy to fall into "we need a big solution, it is very hard to get the big solution because someone else has all the power and the money, there's nothing we can do until this big solution is in place."

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by: JAWVMM @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 19:41:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]