Charleston Leader

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito visited southern West Virginia to focus on infrastructure and economic development initiatives. Her first stop was at the Bluefield Area Transit in Bluefield, where she participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for a natural gas infrastructure extension project. The project received $2,959,000 in Fiscal Year 2022 Congressionally Directed Spending awards to extend natural gas infrastructure from Bluefield to John Nash Boulevard at Exit 1 on I-77, covering the Cumberland Industrial Park.

Senator Capito emphasized the importance of utilizing natural resources like natural gas for local growth and economic development. "West Virginia is blessed with many natural resources, and utilizing natural gas in our state is essential to further local growth, spark economic development, and create American energy independence," she said.

John O’Neal, Director of the Mercer County Development Authority, acknowledged the contributions made by Senator Capito along with Governor Justice and the Mercer County Commission towards this project. “This gas line project will serve dozens of businesses and residences. It will support hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in Mercer County,” he stated.

Later that day, Senator Capito attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Beckley for the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s new PATTERN Textile Lab and Manufacturing Center. The facility was funded through a $1,500,000 Congressionally Directed Spending award secured by Senator Capito.

The senator noted how the establishment of New River Gorge National Park has increased visitorship leading to opportunities in outdoor textiles prototyping. "As a leader on the Appropriations Committee, I was proud to advocate for the support needed to establish this lab in southern West Virginia," she mentioned.

Jina Belcher, Executive Director of NRGDA expressed gratitude towards Senator Capito's efforts saying: “We are blessed in the New River Gorge region and statewide to have Senator Capito on our team.”