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Jim Justice on Environment

 

 


Invest $14M in tourism and revenue comes flying right back

Tourism is another wonderfully bright spot in West Virginia. In 2017, we had unbelievable growth. We greatly surpassed the natural growth. In 2018, it looks even stronger and stronger. Our hotel occupancy is up 11 percent. You know, our increased prices in revenue in our hotels is up 13.4%, and I will be asking you for another $14,000,000, because every dollar we put in tourism comes flooding back to us. It's a multiplier effect.

It's just absolutely a cash register. We put the money in, it comes flying right back at us. We seeing this every month in our surpluses. This is the state that ought to be the number one state in the nation as far as tourism.

Source: 2019 State of the State address to West Virginia legislature , Jan 9, 2019

$60M upgrade to state parks

We sold $60,000,000 of excess lottery bonds to upgrade our state parks. We have absolutely been doing that. That's all underway right now. We're getting a tremendous response with our state parks, and there's just lots of good going on there.

As far as our DNR efforts we've made, you know, we have reestablished an Elk herd in West Virginia; we're extending deer seasons. We're doing so many things with our trout and our streams, and we're exposing this state in so many ways, it's unbelievable.

Source: 2019 State of the State address to West Virginia legislature , Jan 9, 2019

I love the outdoors, but regulatory agencies tell you no

So many times our regulatory agencies absolutely, no matter what on earth we try to do, they're there to tell you no. They're not there to tell us no.

Now, I underline--underline, underline, underline--nobody loves the outdoors as much as me. Nobody loves water as much as me. We're not going to break the law. We're got going to do anything to damage the environment to the very best of our abilities. Or our waters. But we are not going to just say no.

Source: 2017 West Virginia State of the State address , Feb 8, 2017

Paid $900,000 fine for poor pollution controls at mines

A coal company owned by West Virginia billionaire Jim Justice has agreed to pay a $900,000 fine for environmental violations and improve pollution controls at mines in Kentucky and other Appalachian states at an estimated cost of $5 million. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency announced the settlement Friday with Southern Coal Corporation and 26 affiliated mining companies. Kentucky and many other states enforce federal clean water and mining rules, with federal oversight.

The Justice companies with pollution-discharge permits in Kentucky listed in the complaint are A&G Coal; Four Star Resources; Infinity Energy; Kentucky Fuel Corporation; Sequoia Energy; and Virginia Fuel. The settlement is separate from one Justice reached with Kentucky in 2014 to clean up environmental problems. In that case, Justice admitted hundreds of violations at his company's mines in 8 counties. Justice owed $4.49 million in fines for the violations, but the state settled for $1.5 million.

Source: Lexington Herald-Leader on 2016 West Virginia Governor race , Sep 30, 2016

EPA regulations have been difficult, overreaching, and wrong

The climate regulations imposed on the state have been difficult, overreaching and wrong, Justice said. More can be done with clean coal technologies to make them more economically viable and keep coal as a vital fuel source, he said.
Source: Parkersburg News-Sentinel: 2016 West Virginia governor race , Oct 9, 2015

Other governors on Environment: Jim Justice on other issues:
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Gubernatorial Debates 2023:
KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D)
vs.State A.G. Daniel Cameron(R)

vs.Ambassador Kelly Craft(R)
vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R)
LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited)
vs.Jeff Landry(R)
vs.Shawn Wilson(D)
vs.John Schroder(R)
vs.Sharon Hewitt(R)
MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R)
vs.Bill Waller(R,withdrew)
vs.Brandon Presley(D)

Gubernatorial Debates 2024:
DE: Gov. John Carney (D, term-limited);
Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long (D)
vs. Matt Meyer (D)
IN: Gov. Eric Holcomb (R, term-limited);
Sen. Mike Braun (R)
vs. Suzanne Crouch (R)
vs. Jennifer McCormick (D)
MO: Gov. Mike Parson (R, term-limited):
Jay Ashcroft (R)
vs. Bill Eigel (R)
vs. Mike Kehoe (R)
vs. Crystal Quade (D)
MT: Gov. Greg Gianforte (R)
vs. Tanner Smith (R)
vs. Ryan Busse (D) 		Gubernatorial Debates 2024 (continued):
NC: Gov. Roy Cooper (D, term-limited);
Dale Folwell (R)
vs. Michael Morgan (D)
vs. Mark Robinson (R)
vs. Josh Stein (D)
vs. Andy Wells (R)
ND: Gov. Doug Burgum (R)
vs. State Rep. Rick Becker (R)
NH: Gov. Chris Sununu (R, retiring)
vs. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R)
vs. Joyce Craig (D)
vs. Chuck Morse (R)
vs. Cinde Warmington (D)
UT: Gov. Spencer Cox (R)
vs. State Rep. Phil Lyman (R)
VT: Gov. Phil Scott (R) unopposed
WA: Gov. Jay Inslee (D, retiring);
Hilary Franz (D, withdrew)
vs. State Sen. Mark Mullet (D)
vs. County Chair Semi Bird (R)
vs. WA Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D)
WV: Gov. Jim Justice (R, term-limited);
vs. WV State Auditor JB McCuskey (R, withdrew)
vs. WV Secretary of State Mac Warner (R)
vs. State Del. Moore Capito (R)
vs. WV Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R)
vs. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams (D) 		Abortion
Budget/Economy
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Families/Children
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure/Technology
Jobs
Local Issues
Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War/Iraq/Mideast
Welfare/Poverty

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