Capeheart, U.S. Energy Secretary Abraham, Share Policy Ideas to Capitalize on West Virginia Potential in Fuels Markets
Capehart Press Release

CHARLESTON – Positioning West Virginia’s colleges and universities to develop advanced technologies for the state’s abundant natural resources can help the Mountain State become a leader in promoting U.S. energy independence, G.O.P. gubernatorial candidate Rob Capehart told federal Energy Secretary, Spencer Abraham, today.

The former cabinet secretary in the most recent administration of Governor Cecil Underwood met with Abraham at a forum on energy policy at the University of Charleston. Tapping coal-bed methane in West Virginia for power generation could help offset the project rise in natural gas prices, Capehart said, stabilizing the impact on energy consumers.

“Nurturing new energy technologies at our institutions of higher learning will lead to job-creating ventures, most of which, will remain anchored in West Virginia,” Capehart explained. He cited an Ernst and Young report concluding that four of five new high-tech firms grow from university projects, and 70 percent of them stay in their local area.

Capehart encouraged the Energy Secretary to get the Bush Administration to proceed with an $800 million proposal for new energy technologies in Mason county, and a $100 million demonstration project in Rainelle to convert coal waste to fuel.

Easing the regulatory burden on energy producers would also help West Virginia’s coal and natural gas industries, said Capehart. The current system “creates a cat and mouse game” between government and private business,” he observed.