By The Intelligencer of Wheeling:
No doubt the fossil fuel-hating crowd will be upset at action last week by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection — but DEP officials were absolutely right.
The DEP has approved construction of a plant proposed for Mason County, where a coal-to-liquids plant is to be built. It will use coal and natural gas to produce low-sulfur diesel and jet fuel. The plant itself is expected to provide 130 new jobs and to support another 130 in coal mining.
Finding new ways to use our natural resources, rather than simply wiping them off the slate of our energy assets is not just smart, it is imperative. Good for the DEP for recognizing that Americans simply can’t afford to waste energy in any form.