A recent survey shows widespread support for the development of new natural gas pipelines in West Virginia. The poll, sponsored by the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association/Energize West Virginia and conducted by Mark Blankenship Enterprises found that 76 percent of West Virginians favor the expansion of critical pipeline infrastructure.
In West Virginia, there are currently a number of proposed interstate natural gas pipeline projects under review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including the Rover Pipeline. The $4.2 billion project will gather gas from processing plants in West Virginia, Eastern Ohio, and Western Pennsylvania and deliver it to markets across our region.
“The total capital investment on the West Virginia portions of those pipelines is $5.7 billion and the estimated new employees it’ll take to build out those lines, in West Virginia only, is 18,000 new employees,” said Corky DeMarco, Executive Director of the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association.
Existing pipeline infrastructure has proven inadequate to meet the demands of surging domestic natural gas production and growing adoption of the clean-burning, affordable resource.
In addition, the poll found that 82 percent of West Virginians believe growing the natural gas industry in West Virginia is key to further job creation and economic growth. Furthermore, 82 percent respondents also agree that natural gas is an affordable energy source.