WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today issued the following statement regarding the West Virginia Department of Commerce’s announcement that China Energy will invest $83.7 billion in major West Virginia shale gas projects. The China Energy announcement was the largest investment in a series of projects totaling a reported $250 billion of total investment in the United States.
Senator Capito led efforts in Washington to secure this investment in West Virginia’s energy infrastructure, advocating for it directly with President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Secretaries Rick Perry and Wilbur Ross. In recent weeks, Senator Capito and her staff worked directly with the West Virginia Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Energy, and the investment announced today is a direct result of a series of meetings and calls Senator Capito had with Secretary Perry and Secretary Ross.
“Expanding Appalachia’s energy infrastructure, including developing a regional storage hub and market for natural gas liquids, will have a transformative effect on our economy, our security, and our future. From driving growth and creating jobs to maximizing America’s energy potential, the benefits for West Virginia and the country from this new investment will be significant and long-lasting,” said Senator Capito.
“That’s why I worked diligently to expand West Virginia's energy infrastructure and bring this investment to our state, advocating for it with President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Secretaries Perry and Ross. I’m excited to continue working with the administration, and state, local and private-sector leaders to keep this effort moving forward.”
Senator Capito has long advocated for the development of an Appalachian natural gas liquids market and has led the effort to establish a regional storage and transportation hub in the region. In 2016, she introduced a measure to study the feasibility of this project. In July, when Energy Secretary Perry accepted her invitation to visit West Virginia, Senator Capito made the project a topic of emphasis, convening a roundtable discussion to highlight its benefits. Since then, she has helped coordinate discussions among the Trump administration, state and local officials, business leaders and other stakeholders to attract attention and investment to bolster West Virginia's energy infrastructure.
# # #