In The News

Republicans in Congress may not like the Biden administration's recent proposal to squeeze greenhouse gas emissions standards in the name of advancing electric vehicle adoption, but it does provide them with leverage on one of their top priorities: an overhaul of the federal permitting process. The proposed standards released last week are by far the strictest emission rules developed by the EPA. The agency estimated that through 2055 the standards would avert nearly 10 billion tons of carbon... Read More

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Monday introduced a bipartisan resolution in her chamber that would designate April 17-23 as National Osteopathic Medicine Week. “National Osteopathic Medicine Week provides a chance to highlight the critical role of osteopathic medicine, innovative and intelligent practitioners, our West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, and its importance for the health of West Virginians,” Sen. Capito said in an April 17... Read More

Two US senators and a host of industry allies are pushing for congressional action this spring and summer on reform of federal permitting, a costly delay-producing challenge for oil and gas companies and other infrastructure developers. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told a forum at the US Chamber of Commerce that Senate committees would be holding hearings starting this month and running through May with the hope of seeing a bipartisan compromise permitting bill take shape before the congressional... Read More

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) recently sponsored a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would require coverage of hearing devices and systems in certain private health insurance plans. “Auditory implant devices and external sound processors can be life-changing for individuals who suffer from severe hearing loss,” Sen. Capito said on April 14. “Our senses are something we too often take for granted, and I will continue to work to establish better access to these critical... Read More

Two bipartisan bills meant to improve U.S. recycling infrastructure in underserved areas and bolster recycling-related data collection have been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate.   Lawmakers reintroduced the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act and the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act ahead of Earth Day, saying the legislation would make recycling more accessible, help create recycling-related jobs and raise the national recycling rate. The... Read More

WASHINGTON (WV News) — The Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) has submitted its full application to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, according to state officials. The DOE’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program includes up to $7 billion to establish six to 10 regional clean hydrogen hubs across America. The DOE will review the submitted applications and make an announcement in 2024. Clean hydrogen hubs will create networks of... Read More

As the U.S. Senate gets ready for hearings on possible legislation to speed up federal review and permitting for construction projects, a coalition of industry and other business groups is pushing the case for bipartisan legislation to meet that goal. Industry officials and some key senators aired the issues surrounding permitting reform at an April 18 meeting at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which led the formation of the large coalition pushing to see Congress clear permitting legislation by... Read More

The details of House Republicans’ debt limit increase bill were in flux on Tuesday as Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and GOP leaders worked to get enough votes in a slim majority to pass it. GOP leaders have set their sights on voting on the forthcoming legislation as early as next week, as the party tries to increase pressure on the White House to negotiate spending cuts and policy reforms as a condition of raising the debt ceiling.  A framework for the legislation... Read More

The Friends of Coal Ladies Auxiliary helped celebrate Emma Arbutus Clay’s 104th birthday. Born April 8, 1919, Clay celebrated her birthday with close family and friends. Clay has lived in Raleigh County her entire life, spending over 40 years in the public school system as a teacher and a principal. She worked at Harpers Creek Elementary, Eccles Elementary and Eccles Junior High schools. Clay was married for over 60 years. She has three children, three grandchildren, five... Read More

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said during an event at the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday that he would be reintroducing his legislation that failed to get enough support during a vote in the Senate last year. He also said he would take a look at Republicans’ energy package, known as H.R.1, and said it was “wrong” for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to call the Republican bill “dead on arrival.” Both Manchin, who chairs the Senate... Read More

Just seven Republicans supported Manchin’s permitting bill, which sought to preserve states’ authorities over siting transmission while still allowing FERC to step in if permits aren’t issued within a year’s time. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, was one of those seven. But, she said, making FERC the backstop, especially on cost allocation, would be a problem. “I don’t think we want to federalize... Read More

WASHINGTON - A coalition of centrist Republicans and Democrats say they are getting closer to a bipartisan deal on overhauling the federal permitting process to allow faster development of infrastructure projects such as power transmission lines, natural gas pipelines and broadband networks.At an event hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, Senators Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., Tom Carper, D-Del., and Joe Manchin, D-W.V., along with Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif. — many of whom... Read More

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WV News) — Almost $425,000 in federal funding will be used to collect and digitally preserve thousands of congressional archives at WVU. The $349,580 National Endowment for the Humanities grant for the Robert C. Byrd Center for History Education at West Virginia University was announced Tuesday by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Capito announced a smaller National Endowment for the Humanities grant —... Read More

Charleston, W.Va. – West Virginia’s director of the State Resiliency Office, Bob Martin, delivered his agency’s first quarter report to members of the Joint Legislative Interim Committee on Flooding on Sunday, telling lawmakers he believes the economic future of the Mountain State depends on proper flood mitigation and resiliency strategies. “This is the world according to Bob,” Martin concluded. “I think flood resiliency and flood mitigation in the state... Read More

Americans can purchase 91 models of electric cars and trucks — but as of Tuesday, only 14 of them will qualify for federal tax breaks intended to persuade motorists to forsake their gas-guzzlers. That number is sure to change. But for now, new Biden administration rules first announced March 31 will sharply winnow the number of vehicles now eligible for the $7,500 tax credit, a long-awaited list that the Treasury Department published Monday morning. The new list is a big win for... Read More

CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito announced funding for a West Virginia state program. On Monday, April 17, 2023, $1,229,006 was awarded for the West Virginia State Tobacco Control Program. The program was made by the West Virginia Division of Tobacco Prevention, the leading state agency for tobacco prevention, cessation, and control. “The HHS funding announced today allows us to address tobacco use in our state and improve the health of West Virginians. This... Read More

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – A West Virginia business owner has been honored with an inaugural national award for his work in advocating for researching treatments and cures for Parkinson’s disease. George Manahan, of Charleston, was honored this month with the first-ever Hero of Advocacy Award from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. According to the Foundation, Manahan is one of their most active advocates. When Manahan was diagnosed with Parkinson’s,... Read More

An update to Federal Highway Administration guidance related to a $1.2 trillion infrastructure law is among key achievements House Republicans are touting during their first 100 days governing in the majority. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) pointed to his caucus’ push for action on FHWA’s 2021 policy memorandum, which was updated earlier this year. The document’s update is part of the committee’s record of... Read More

West Virginia University will receive $8 million, through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to develop a first-of-a-kind facility to extract and separate rare earth elements and critical minerals and materials from mining waste. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $16 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bring critical mineral supply chains to America and reduce reliance on competitors like China. The funding will support projects in West Virginia and North... Read More

State Resiliency Officer Robert Martin reported to the Joint Legislative Committee on Flooding Sunday about his agency’s efforts to prevent flood related deaths in West Virginia. Martin talked of multiple flood mitigation projects, one of which included the Milton Flood Wall in Cabell County. He told committee members that Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, R-WV, and Joe Manchin, D-WV, are working to appropriate another $190.7 million for work on the Lower Mud River Flood Risk Management Project... Read More