Having a job is the most important lifetime concern to many individuals.

Because of the West Virginia economy, many people are unemployed. Despite the fact that there are many potential job opportunities in the production of fossil fuels, there is a devastating movement on to keep these fuels in the ground. One organization states, “Stop digging. No additional fossil fuel development, no exploration for new fossil fuels, no expansion of fossil fuel projects. We need to keep fossil fuels in the ground.”

Two prime obvious examples of the success of this movement are the blockage of the Keystone and Dakota pipelines. Keystone was designed to move crude oil from Canada through the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. In deference to the anti fossil, keep it in the ground movement, then-President Obama refused to approve this construction. President Trump, because of the potential for job opportunities and economic development, has reversed this decision and the pipeline is now being favorably considered.

The same can be said of the Dakota pipeline. The alternative to moving fossil fuels through these pipelines is by moving them above ground by trucks or rail, both of which are more dangerous and less friendly to the environment.

The “keep it in the ground movement” is actively involved in objecting to the more than $50 billion worth of natural gas pipelines which have been proposed in the U.S. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has said “that blocking of pipeline construction in the Northeast is impacting the economic fortunes of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Ohio will miss out on 2,083 jobs, $78.4 million in employee compensation and $294.5 million in gross domestic product by 2010, Chamber officials said. West Virginia would fail to realize 2,518 jobs, $100.2 million in employee compensation and $159 million in gross domestic products.”

This keep it in the ground movement by the far left and it’s detriment to the West Virginia economy should be opposed by both Democrats and Republicans.

Delegate Frank Deem
Vienna