This news story originally provided by The Charleston Gazette

December 9, 2005

Revived energy board meets

By Ken Ward Jr.
Staff writer

As it begins to push Gov. Joe Manchins proposal for a coal gasification plant in West Virginia, the state Public Energy Authority has more questions than answers.

Behind the scenes, administration officials have been working on the project for several months. But Manchins broad proposal which does not target a specific type of plant is making it difficult for agencies to plan site selection, permitting and financing.

At the same time, board members at their first meeting Thursday were not able to clearly answer questions about how citizens can have their say in the authoritys actions or how potential environmental effects of the plant would be examined.

Later, Lara Ramsburg, the governors communications director, urged the public to give authority members a chance before passing judgment.

You have to give them the opportunity to get up to speed and get running, Ramsburg said.

Since Manchin announced his proposal in mid-October, Commerce Secretary Tom Bulla led a delegation of state development boosters and regulators on tours of similar plants in Tennessee and North Dakota.

Also, Pat Esposito, an energy consultant to Manchin, has been coordinating frequent private meetings among various state agencies that might have a hand in the project.

Manchin started Thursdays inaugural meeting of the energy board by pushing for a closed-door executive session to discuss selection of a board vice chairman and secretary-treasurer and the hiring of a new executive director.

Joe Ward, a lawyer for the governor, initially sought for the board to go into executive session without stating the specific exemption that allowed the move or having board members vote on the action both requirements of state law.

Eventually, Ward cited an exemption that covers discussions of the hiring, firing and other personnel actions concerning specific government workers. Board members approved the executive session on a voice vote.

In announcing his coal plant proposal in October, Manchin made it clear that he was not narrowing the project to just one type of coal conversion plant. Instead, the governor said West Virginia would focus on the development of state-of-the-art, multi-product facilities that would adapt to the changing needs of the marketplace and produce whatever product is most needed at a specific time.

John Benedict, air quality director for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said a more concrete proposal would be needed before DEP officials could outline what permits would be needed.

Other state officials said more details were needed to start picking out potential sites and plans for public financing assistance.

Earlier this year, Manchin persuaded lawmakers to give the energy board back its bond issuance authority as part of the governors plan to jump-start the agency.

Manchin also appointed all new members for the board. They include: Oil and gas operator and former state Sen. Mike Ross, oil and gas executive Ike Morris, environmental activist Allen Tweedle, and New Martinsville resident Joe Freeland. Manchin, Environmental Protection Secretary Stephanie Timmermeyer and Economic Development Authority Director David Warner are also members of the board.

The PEA has been inactive for years, since Gov. Gaston Caperton in 1994 successfully pushed legislation to strip it of its power to issue bonds. Caperton had tried to kill the agency altogether, and as recently as 2003 legislative auditors recommended its elimination.

Caperton also succeeded in requiring the energy authority to hold public comment periods and hearings before moving forward with new projects.

Also, the law requires the board to write rules for a complete environmental assessment of any such projects.

Those rules have never been written, and Ward, the governors lawyer, said he was not sure when they would be.

It depends on what the need is, Ward said. Its up in the air.

Vivian Stockman, a leader of the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, asked how citizens and environmentalists could have their say on the energy boards plans.

Esposito said that he is already talking frequently with Norm Steenstra, who is executive director of the West Virginia-Citizen Action Group.

Steenstra did not attend Thursdays meeting, and said he was upset to learn that the board held a closed-door session.

Steenstra noted that the Caperton-era PEA reforms were passed after construction of the agencys only project, a controversial power plant in downtown Morgantown. Local residents fought the plant, complaining that the authority gave them little say in its location.

Its as if they didnt even remember all of the controversy involving public input with the original energy authority, Steenstra said.

To contact staff writer Ken Ward Jr., use e-mail or call 348-1702.