WV-GOV Democratic primary candidates on energy

by: Clem Guttata

Wed Mar 23, 2011 at 08:53:00 AM EDT

Here's what the five major Democratic primary candidates running in the West Virginia WV-GOV special election have to say about energy. There's a lot of overlap with what they have to say about jobs.

I wanted to also include what was said about also cleaning up our atmosphere and protecting our natural resource wealth... but, there's nothing said.

Earl Ray Tomblin

West Virginia is, and, if I have anything to do with it, always will be an energy leader for our country. Our resources are plentiful, and our workers are dedicated to providing the energy that our country needs.

Our coal helped produce the steel that built this nation. And our coal provides over half of the nation's energy. With advances in technology, coal is burned cleaner now than ever before.  If we invest in research and upgrades and technology, we can keep using coal for decades.

There are some who want to turn their backs on coal - not me. It is pretty simple: we can either be beholden to the Middle East and its huge oil deposits or we can find ways to use the natural resources that lie right beneath us here at home. I will fight every day to strengthen our coal economy.

And the possibilities that West Virginia has with natural gas are virtually unlimited. If we do it in an environmentally responsible manner, the drilling of oil and natural gas in West Virginia can create jobs, heat our homes, fuel our cars, and restart the manufacturing sector.

Can you imagine a West Virginia that is once again a manufacturing hub of America?  I believe it can happen. The continued expansion of natural gas exploration in West Virginia can fuel a whole new energy economy, and I will go anywhere and do anything to create these jobs right here at home.

Natalie Tennant

As Governor, I will make West Virginia the national leader in energy - coal, natural gas and alternative energy. West Virginia can lead the 21st century with an energy policy that sets the pace for how our nation does business - and we can create those jobs right here at home while doing it. But this won't happen if we do things the same old way.

• Coal is critical to the U.S. economy. We will continue our commitment to coal while also investing in the coal industry of the future. We can lead the world in researching, developing, and testing new technologies.

• We can be the national test bed for cutting-edge clean coal technologies. If there is a new technology that makes West Virginia coal cleaner, more efficient, and more affordable, let's pioneer it in West Virginia.

• Marcellus Shale offers West Virginia a great opportunity to create thousands of new jobs and provide increased revenue for our communities. By managing this new resource responsibly we can build a new energy economy and world-class education system.

• But let's not stop at coal and natural gas. We can take the lead in powering our nation long into the future by investing in a true alternative energy industry now.

Tennant outlined the potential economic boon from responsible shale development that could provide improvements for some of West Virginia's most important priorities. "The extraction and transportation of our natural gas is a major project that will create good-paying jobs that should go to local workers throughout the state," said Tennant.  "Responsible development of the Marcellus Shale can provide resources for advancing education and investing in research and development. Despite the differences in the House and Senate bills, allowing job creating legislation to die in the final hours of the session shows a severe lack of leadership."

Some of the differences in the House and Senate proposals included the distance drillers would have to maintain from water wells and homes, the notice provided to landowners, and the number of inspectors necessary to adequately monitor drilling.  The bills also covered development issues such as protection of private property rights, environmental regulations, and permit fees.

"We cannot afford to wait another year. Landowners and businesses must have certainty now," Tennant continued.  "West Virginia has a tremendous opportunity to create jobs through innovation in the energy sector, and we have an obligation to take control of our natural resources to push our state ahead," said Tennant.  "It is time to confront these issues so that hard-working West Virginians can benefit from this vast energy resource."

John D. Perdue

West Virginia has the ability to reap more than $6 billion from the Marcellus Shale. I support a plan to return a portion of those proceeds directly to state taxpayers either through a tax break or a dividend check similar to what is done in Alaska.

State Treasurer John Perdue says a moratorium needs to be placed on utility rate increases for customers of Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power in West Virginia.

"These bills just keep going up and up," Perdue, a Democrat gubernatorial candidate, said on Wednesday's MetroNews Talkline.

"I think it's one of the most important issues in this election, that our people are suffering.  Our small businesses are suffering and, if we want economic development, let's all work together."

Rick Thompson

Energy

One of the reasons West Virginia is in such good economic shape relative to the rest of the country is that we're an energy state. Rick understands that clean coal technology and coal gasification are important to supporting markets for West Virginia coal.

In addition to coal, West Virginia sits atop a virtual gold mine in natural gas in the form of Marcellus Shale. These formations hold literally billions of dollars in as yet untapped resources. As Governor, Rick will push for the responsible development of these resources in order create jobs and opportunity for West Virginia companies and workers.

In 1952, six months before his second son would be born, Richard Thompson died in a coalmine accident near Fort Gay, West Virginia.  He left his unborn son his name, the only photo of himself and his wife, which was in his wallet, and a lifelong respect for the men who mine coal.  The newspaper report said that Rick Thompson was "about 27 years old," and speculated that a piece of slate fell from the roof and knocked his carbide lamp into a can of blasting powder, causing an explosion.  The story did not mention that his older brother was with him when he died.  Mining is always a family business.

Thompson says, "There's a mindset to hold on to what you have instead of moving forward, and someone needs to break that thinking and set an agenda."  His agenda is straightforward - forming a vision for what West Virginia will look like fifty years in the future, from the state's education system to its industry and infrastructure.   "We've been coal, and though there's plenty of it left, there is plenty more to West Virginia.  We have the location, the resources, and the people.  If we can look beyond coal and put politics aside, we will be uniquely positioned as an epicenter for America's future growth and opportunity."

Jeff Kessler

Energy is the cornerstone of West Virginia's economy. For more than 100 years, West Virginia coal has kept the lights on, fueling our nation.  We must recognize that coal will remain a vital part of our energy portfolio.  As Governor, I will be committed to developing clean coal technologies and making sure mining is as safe as possible.

West Virginia's energy future is so much more than coal. The vast amount of natural gas in the Marcellus shale provides boundless economic opportunities for this state. Drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus shale has already created 3,000 new jobs, and economists predict tens of thousands more jobs can be created in our state. As Governor, I will be committed to ensuring that West Virginians will have the training and skills to be hired in those positions.

Further, I am committed to making sure West Virginia benefits for providing the nation with such abundant resources. Specifically, I am proposing the West Virginia Future Fund, a 25% endowment fund on the severance tax collected from natural gas so that money can be saved and invested in West Virginia's future. This endowment money can be used to ensure that by 2020 West Virginia's education system is the best in the nation. Additionally, our Future Fund will permit us to diversify our economy and permit us to provide tax relief to our citizens and business.