UPDATES

Even though it has already obtained approval for $600 Million in bonds from the West Virginia Economic Development Authority, Longview held its hand out again and received approval for another $47.8 Million from the Development Authority.  Now Longview Power is asking the West Virginia Public Service Commission to make a determination that those $600 Million in bonds "do not offend the public interest."

Who gets hurt here?  All West Virginians suffer because these low-interest bonds are tax exempt.  So while West Virginia cuts its budget a third time this year for lack of tax revenue, it gives tax breaks to unsound companies like Longview Power.

A Senior Attorney for Penn Future recently wrote a letter to the Editor spelling out some of the complicated maneuvers being conducted by local mining companies and Longview affiliate, AMD Reclamation, Inc. (AMDRI), with respect to injecting untreated mine water into various mines and then discharging untreated mine water into Dunkard Creek.  He filled in some of the gaps from an earlier letter to the Editor about how the Departments of Environmental Protection in both states have allowed such discharges.

Dunkard Creek flows in both West Virginia and Pennsylvania, crossing the state line several times before ending up at the Monongahela River.  It was the site of a massive fish kill starting in September 2009 which resulted in the destruction of most of the animal species living in the stream including fish, mussels, and salamanders.
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