By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Community advocates and the United Mine Workers union are questioning why the West Virginia Legislature killed an amendment on the last day of the 2021 legislative session Saturday night that would have set up a comeback plan for the many communities throughout the state devastated by coal mine and plant closures.
“[T]his would have been a good idea,” said Brandon Dennison, CEO of Coalfield Development, a Wayne County-based nonprofit dedicated to rebuilding the central Appalachian economy.
The amendment, introduced by Delegate Ed Evans, D-McDowell, and advanced by the House of Delegates in a 49-48 vote Friday, would have directed the West Virginia Public Service Commission to facilitate creating a plan mandated to include development of water, wastewater, broadband and other infrastructure needed to revitalize communities affected by coal-fired plant closures. The plan also would have aimed to create opportunities to increase jobs in coal and other industries…
