SENATE RESOLUTION 11

(By Senators Stollings, Takubo, Ojeda, Boso, Plymale, and Cline)

[Introduced January 19, 2018]

Designating January 19, 2018, as Southern West Virginia Day at the Capitol.

Whereas, Southern West Virginia has a long and proud history of supporting its state and country in times of peace and war; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia provided much of the fuel which spurred the United States Industrial Revolution; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia’s people have mined coal for 100 years which supported the economy of the State of West Virginia; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia has given more than $67 million in the past seven years to the counties and cities across the state through the coal severance tax; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia’s counties of Wyoming, Mingo, Logan, Boone, and Lincoln, together with the Corridor G Regional Development Authority, have been dramatically affected by job losses in the coal mining and coal supply chain industries; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia is uniquely positioned to create future economic development opportunities by leveraging its natural assets, an available workforce, development sites created by innovative land use planning, and a collaborative network of public/private partnerships into sustainable, job creating opportunities; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia’s counties are working together to improve their economies and the lives of its people through programs such as the Wyoming County Loan Program and Leadership Southern; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia’s successful implementation of Land Use Master Plans has facilitated enhanced transportation and utilities infrastructure necessary to support economic expansion; provided opportunities for industry diversification and smart economic growth; and enhanced quality of life by securing, transitioning, and repurposing land made available through coal mining activities into beneficial economic development assets; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia, together with the Corridor G Regional Development Authority, intends to create a more vibrant economic future for coal-impacted communities by cultivating economic diversity, strengthening our regional collaborative efforts, and leveraging our region’s existing assets through projects such as the Coalfields Expressway, Wood Products Industrial Park, and Rock Creek Development Park; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia is a national leader in providing rural health care through providers such as Southern WV Health Systems, Williamson Health and Wellness Center, Boone Memorial Hospital, and Logan Regional Medical Center; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia provides first class public transportation through Tri-River Transit allowing access to work, medical treatment, and education; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia is home to an outstanding community college network; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia offers world class career and technical education in high schools like the Boone, Lincoln, and Wyoming Career and Technical Centers, and Mingo Central High School; and

Whereas, Southern West Virginia offers an abundance of outdoor recreational activities and tourist attractions such as the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System, Guyandotte Water Trail, and the Coal River Trail; and

Whereas, This regional collaborative of Southern West Virginia counties recognizes, with great pride, the contributions of the coal mining and coal supply chain industries in providing good jobs, family stability, and community and economic prosperity for the past several decades; and

Whereas, This regional collaborative is committed to valuing Southern West Virginia’s deeply rooted coal heritage while it also seeks to produce economic and workforce development outcomes that promote regional economic growth and diversification, new job creation, and re-employment opportunities for our workers, and especially our displaced coal miners; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate hereby designates January 19, 2018, as Southern West Virginia Day at the Capitol; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the appropriate representatives of Southern West Virginia Day at the Capitol.