Legislators Act on Marcellus Law
Bill may net jobs for state
Morgantown Dominion Post
17 February 2011
By David Beard
CHARLESTON — The Senate Energy Industry and Mining Committee moved SB
465, the Marcellus Gas and Manufacturing Development Act. It provides
tax incentives on the valuation of capital assets, research and
development, and alternative fuel vehicles and the infrastructure to
fuel them.
“This is the most exciting piece of legislation I have seen come before
the Legislature” in years, said Karen Price, president of the West
Virginia Manufacturer’s Association. Manufacturing jobs in the state
have dwindled from 135,000 in the early 1980s to 50,000 now. This
measure could boost job growth in manufacturing industries averaging
$42,000 annual salaries, and chemical industries averaging $70,000 a
year.
It goes next to the Senate Finance Committee.
The bill is among several passed by the House and Senate and their
committees.