Sign Our Petition to the West Virginia DEP

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is collecting written comments on an air quality permit request by Mountain State Clean Energy LLC for a critical natural gas-fired power facility in Monongalia County.

Stand up for this important project and the hundreds of jobs it will provide for the local workforce by signing our petition below that we will submit to the DEP, Division of Air Quality before the comment period ends November 1 at 5:00 p.m.

Dear Engineer Andrews:

I stand with Pipeliners Local 798 in support of the requested permit for the Mountain State Clean Energy Project, a $1.1 billion investment in an existing network that already employs 150 full-time workers and distributes critical power through PJM Interconnection across a 13-state region serving approximately 65 million people.

Mountain State Clean Energy is poised to create hundreds of jobs for more workers, many of whom are Union craftsmen who depend on these sorts of jobs to provide for their families.

The project has already earned key support, including a certificate from the West Virginia Public Service Commission in 2020 to construct and operate the gas-fired facility, as well as approval from the Monongalia County Commission for a 30-year, $58 million payment agreement with project developers (former Longview parties) later that year.

I support the Mountain State Clean Energy Project for the following specific reasons:

  • Project developers have demonstrated a commitment to hiring local union craftsmen, and this project, in particular, is projected to create hundreds of jobs with a payroll during construction of over $110 million;
  • The facility would not only support good jobs for experienced workers, but it would also attract young electricians looking for reliable paychecks;
  • This project is utilizing the best available control technology, ensuring safety and efficiency at the highest level;
  • If approved, this could be the first combined cycle gas-fired electric plant in the state. This would open the door to investment in similar projects that supply crucial energy and support good jobs for local workers;
  • The project application indicates that zero greenhouse gas emissions are associated with starting up, shutting down or operating the units.

Following a preliminary evaluation, the West Virginia Division of Air Quality's found that the Mountain State Clean Energy Project meets all applicable state and federal regulations. There is simply no sound reason to deny the requested air quality permit for this important project. This is why I urge the Division of Air Quality to issue said permit, and any other necessary permit, for this critical project without delay. A swift approval will create tremendous benefits for the local workforce, residents and community members. 

Signed,

[Names Below]

2,099 signatures

See who else has taken this action

  • John Tourangeau

  • Jordan Nofsinger

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • casey smith

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Ryan Siple

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Tanner Smethwick

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Ray Martin

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Benjamin Engle

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Nathaniel Lytle

  • Dennis Ashby

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Kevin Ruttan

  • Dallas Chastain

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Ivan Valley

  • James White

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Lee Mason Local 614

  • David Huey

  • Robert Malbouf

  • fritz kurt koepke

  • Jim Bellinghausen

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Carlos Suarez

  • Lonnie Werner

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • william hemze

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Kevin Perkins

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Nancy Lee

  • Martha Oliver

  • Parker Jones

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Joe Mireles

  • Reid Baso

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Jessie Powell

  • Andrew Briggs

    Pipeliners Local 798

  • Reginald Johnson