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West Virginia Week In Review - August 19, 2023

8/19/2023

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Gov. Justice announces Fidelis New Energy to build hydrogen project and data center campus in Mason County

Gov. Jim Justice announced that Fidelis New Energy®, LLC (Fidelis) has selected Mason County as the site for a lifecycle carbon neutral hydrogen production facility – The Mountaineer GigaSystem™ and the Monarch Cloud Campus for data centers powered by net-zero hydrogen.

Mountaineer will be implementing the proprietary FidelisH2® technology that enables production of hydrogen with zero lifecycle carbon emissions from a combination of natural gas, carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) and renewable energy.

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Stratton Elementary

Gov. Justice attended the opening of the new Stratton Elementary School in Beckley after over two years of construction. The new building replaces the previous Stratton Elementary, which was recently demolished and will turned into a parking lot, outdoor basketball court, small turf field and playground.

The old building holds great historical significance to the community and the state as the first all-Black high school in Raleigh County.

Demolition of the old Stratton School building will take place in the summer of 2024 after students have completed their first full year in the new school.

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Gov. Justice signs bills to increase correctional officer salaries

Gov. Justice held a ceremony at the Gene Spadaro Juvenile Center in Mount Hope where he signed into law several bills passed in the recent Special Session of the West Virginia Legislature which are all designed to reduce vacancies in the state’s jails and prisons, increase pay scales for correctional officers, and offer retention incentives for non-uniform correctional staff.

"It is incredibly important our hardworking correctional officers get paid what they deserve," Gov. Justice said. "This legislation is just a drop in the bucket, but it will go a long way in filling our vacant positions and upgrading our jails around the state. We have been working with lawmakers for a while to make this happen, and I am thrilled to see it cross the finish line. This is a big win for West Virginia."

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Gov. Justice signs bill providing $1 million to WV Veterans Nursing Facility

Gov. Justice held a ceremony at the West Virginia Veterans Nursing Facility in Clarksburg to sign Senate Bill 1037, which provides a $1 million supplemental appropriation to the facility for a facility-wide bed replacement.

“Our veterans have given so much and asked for so little in return, and it is only right we take care of them as much as possible,” Gov. Justice said. “These funds will enable this incredible facility to deliver the best long-term care for our veterans as possible. I could not think of a more deserving group of people, and we owe them everything for the sacrifices they made. I will continue to make sure our veterans know they are loved and appreciated.”

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Gov. Justice signs bill allocating $4 million for new firefighting equipment, renames Region Four Division of Forestry

Gov. Justice held a ceremony at the West Virginia Division of Forestry (WV DOF) Region Four Headquarters in Beckley, where he signed SB 1032, which passed in the recent Special Session of the West Virginia Legislature, providing $4 million toward new equipment.

During the signing, Gov. Justice also announced the Region Four office will be renamed the Cody J. Mullens Region Four Headquarters. Mullens, 28, of Mt. Hope was killed in the line of duty in April 2023 while working to contain a forest fire near Montgomery. His family was present at the event and received ceremonial bills in his honor.

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Gov. Justice signs bill providing $25 million in funding to Pierpont Community and Technical College Aviation Maintenance Program

Gov. Justice held a ceremony at the Robert C Byrd National Aerospace Education Center on the grounds of the North Central West Virginia Airport to sign Senate Bill 1029, which provides a $25 million supplemental appropriation to Pierpont Community & Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program for a new aviation maintenance training facility.

The 70,000 square-foot facility will give the Pierpont program a significant increase in space, allowing for an increase in annual enrollment from 130 to 200 students per year.

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Gov. Justice signs bill to resolve vehicle property tax credit confusion

Gov. Justice signed into law HB 125, an update to the West Virginia Motor Vehicle Property Tax Adjustment Credit. This bill resolves some confusion among taxpayers who choose to pay their property tax bill as soon as they receive it. Now all motor vehicle property taxes due in 2024 but paid in 2023 may be claimed as a credit on a taxpayer’s 2024 income tax return.

"This is an example of good government," Gov. Justice said. "We recognized a problem and fixed it as fast as we could. This bill brings clarity and relief to West Virginia taxpayers and allows everyone to pay their full vehicle property tax this year without being penalized. We should never punish someone for paying their taxes on time, and this bill ensures that we are treating all taxpayers fairly."

Gov. Justice announces exciting lineup of activities for this year’s Hunting and Fishing Days Celebration

During his administration briefing, Gov. Justice announced that this year's West Virginia National Hunting and Fishing Days Celebration will return to the Summit Bechtel Reserve near Beckley on Sept. 9-10 and that tickets are now available to purchase online.

This annual event, designed to introduce people to hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and other outdoor activities in a safe and hands-on environment, will give visitors a chance to participate in family-friendly activities, listen to live music, meet outdoor television personalities, purchase various hunting, fishing, and outdoor sporting goods, and win prizes.

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Gov. Justice present grants to 18 arts organizations at ceremony in Lewisburg

Gov. Jim Justice joined West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History (WVDACH) Curator Randall Reid-Smith in presenting 21 grants to arts organizations from the surrounding area at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre in Lewisburg on Friday.

See Grant Recipients Here

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Gov Justice speaks to Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia

Gov. Justice speaks at Moses Nissan Of St. Albans ribbon-cutting ceremony

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Contact Information

Jordan Damron, jordan.l.damron@wv.gov; CJ Harvey, cj.harvey@wv.gov

West Virginia Week In Review - August 19, 2023

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