Capito, EPA Administrator Zeldin tour West Virginia coal, manufacturing plants

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin toured several West Virginia energy and manufacturing facilities Wednesday, highlighting what they said are the benefits of recent Republican-led policy changes.

Capito, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Zeldin visited Kanawha, Putnam, and Mason counties, including the John Amos Power Plant in Winfield, the Toyota Motors Manufacturing West Virginia plant in Buffalo, and the Nucor Steel plant in Apple Grove.

The day began with a West Virginia Energy and Manufacturing Roundtable in Charleston, where Capito and Zeldin met with industry leaders to discuss growth in the state’s energy and manufacturing sectors.

At the John Amos Power Plant, Capito and Zeldin spoke with plant leaders about challenges facing the coal industry and efforts by the EPA under Zeldin to roll back policies such as the Clean Power Plan 2.0. They said these changes are aimed at restoring investment in coal-fired power.

At Toyota Motors Manufacturing West Virginia, the officials discussed the plant’s expansion in 2025 and credited federal policy changes for overturning a Biden administration electric vehicle mandate, which they said would have restricted gas-powered car sales in parts of the country.

The final stop at Nucor Steel highlighted the company’s progress toward full operation after overcoming permitting delays, which Capito and Zeldin said underscores the need for environmental review reform.

“It was a privilege to host Administrator Zeldin in West Virginia today,” Capito said. “Our state’s energy and manufacturing industries have experienced visible advancements in less than one year, as harmful Democratic policies have been eliminated to reopen doors to progress in West Virginia and across the nation.”

Zeldin added, “Today’s visit showcased the great advancements the state has made in less than a year during the Trump administration. We saw manufacturing improvements and increases in energy production taking place right here in West Virginia.”