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 Delegate Geno Chiarelli (R-Monongalia)—the lead sponsor of HB 4013— speaks with other members of the House. Photographed by Perry Bennett for the West Virginia Legislature. Hi {contact.email_greeting}, Monday is the 20th day of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session, putting us a third of the way through this year’s assembly. This week, with the help of the West Virginia Citizen Action group’s action alert, lawmakers pulled HB 4013 from the Finance Committee agenda—a win for responsible data center development. The bill would have provided a large tax break for data center developers, potentially costing the state millions in missed tax revenue. You can read more about it from Sean O’Leary’s, policy analyst for the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, blog post last Friday, and also from Charleston-Gazette Mail reporter Mike Tony’s article from yesterday. Messaging and calling your representatives can make a huge difference. There are lots of opportunities coming up to lend your voice at the Capitol. It can be intimidating to speak with community leaders. The Solar United West Virginia team is hosting a remote workshop on how to be an effective advocate for solar. It’s a great chance to learn more about impactful communication skills that apply not only to solar, but to other issues you care about as well.  Attorney Andrew Earley of Fair Shake poses for a picture at E-Day 2025. Photographed by Perry Bennett for the West Virginia Legislature. Organizations around the state host advocacy days everyday at the Capitol Building—like Rural Health Day on 2/16, Local Food & Farms Day on 2/17, and E-Day on 2/23. These events are free and open to the public, and are an important part of the democratic process. They’re also an opportunity to meet other West Virginians who care about and experience similar issues as you. That’s what happened to United Methodist Church clergy Reverend Caitlin Ware and Reverend Brad Davis in 2024. Visiting with folks in Wyoming County from nearby McDowell County, they learned that the water crisis they thought was temporary was actually an ongoing problem. That’s how From Below: Rising Together for Coalfield Justice shifted its focus to a more regional approach to water justice. You can learn more about From Below’s effort to achieve water justice in southern West Virginia by reading “Coalfield communities demand action and funding for clean water this legislative session” in this week’s newsletter. We also have articles featured from the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Mountain State Spotlight, and West Virginia Watch, and commentary from Morgan King, WVEC vice president, on the falsehoods of advanced recycling. If you enjoy these weekly newsletters, consider donating a few dollars to help us continue to work towards our mission. You can donate online here. Click an article title or thumbnail image to read the full article (text below is only an excerpt). |
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