country to the Gulf Coast to feed the chemical manufacturing plants there . Those plants can , and should , expand directly into the Appalachian Shale Basin .”
These manufacturing opportunities and associated opportunities for downstream utilization of natural gas in the region are the future of this industry and a key to tremendous economic advancement for the state .
“ First , these are billion-dollar investments that will employ thousands in great jobs , and we need to be marketing the region and its attributes with everything we have to those industrial sectors ,” Hanshaw says . “ Second , locating the production facilities near the source of feedstock — the gas — alleviates the hurdles associated with movement of the gas that comes with pipelines . Finished chemical products and polymeric materials are easier to move than gas . They can be loaded onto trucks and barges to transit and don ’ t require pipelines and all the permits and challenges that come with them .”
Building pipelines is a costly and agonizingly slow pursuit .
“ The process for permitting and constructing an interstate pipeline for movement of natural gas for export can take decades and cost billions of dollars , and even then , its success cannot be guaranteed ,” Hanshaw says . “ Federal action to streamline the permitting process for pipelines would do a lot to invigorate this industry .”
Meanwhile , global markets complicate the industry as product is exported from West Virginia only to be imported from somewhere else .
“ Natural gas is a fungible commodity traded globally on the open market ,” Hanshaw says . “ To a large extent , the U . S . federal government plays a huge role in regulating that market , both directly and indirectly . The federal government directly regulates energy import and export through tariffs and other legal barriers and incentives . Those change with the political climate and can do so quickly .”
Congratulations to Leadership West Virginia Board Members
James Nemitz and Chad Prather on being named West Virginia Executive Sharp Shooters . Thank you for all you do to move our state forward and your contribution to our organization .
Congratulations also to our Leadership West Virginia graduates : Buffy Hammers , Angi Hyre , Adam Krason , Randall Reid-Smith and Lydotta Taylor . You are leaders contributing to the bright future of the Mountain State .
1624 Kanawha Boulevard , East Charleston , WV 25311 ( 304 ) 342-1497
UniCare Health Plan of West Virginia , Inc . serves more than 195,000 Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries living in West Virginia .
For more information about UniCare , visit unicare . com / wv .
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