This week, Inside Appalachia, a West Virginia man is reviving a Black coal camp through farming. Also, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage. And, the Reverend George Mills Dickerson of Tazewell, Virginia, was born in the years after slavery ended. He’s remembered during Juneteenth through his poetry.
Home » House Finance Committee Asks Questions About Chemical Leak During DEP Budget Hearing
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House Finance Committee Asks Questions About Chemical Leak During DEP Budget Hearing
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Cabinet Secretary of the West Virginia DEP Randy Huffman presented the proposed budget to the committee, relating how the organization would deal with the governor’s 7.5 percent cut.
Huffman assured there would be no loss in personnel. However, paying the personnel a fair and competitive wage was a challenge.
Delegate Ron Walters asked how proposed water protection legislation would affect the DEP financially.
“We’re doing an inventory, right now,” Huffman said.
“We’re going to try in the next few days to get an estimate.”
Changing the subject from the budget to the chemical leak, Delegate Nancy Guthrie asked Huffman about proposed water protection legislation and the recent testimony and report from environmental consultants Downstream Strategies and when those suggestions should be incorporated. Huffman’s response was that he had not read the full report.
“When I read the first page of it I was disappointed and didn’t finish it,” Huffman said.
“It accused the state of having an anti-regulatory philosophy, that we failed and that we didn’t need any more legislation. Then, it said we do need more legislation and made some recommendations. So, I got confused about exactly what their position was.”
On this West Virginia Week, we hear about the possible elimination of clean energy tax credits, paths toward recovery from gambling addiction and a new play exploring immigration and identity in West Virginia.
This week, Inside Appalachia, a West Virginia man is reviving a Black coal camp through farming. Also, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage. And, the Reverend George Mills Dickerson of Tazewell, Virginia, was born in the years after slavery ended. He’s remembered during Juneteenth through his poetry.
On this West Virginia Morning, we hear about a new play from a West Virginia playwright, plus listen to the musical stylings of Paul Thorn for our Song Of The Week.
State borders are now all important in determining access to abortion. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, West Virginia’s only abortion clinic has moved across the border to Maryland to continue providing abortions. This Us & Them episode was recently honored by the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters as Best Podcast of 2024.