The Charleston Gazette-Mail – In recent months, the Appalachian Regional “Clean” Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), and hydrogen more broadly, has received praise from industry leaders and elected and appointed officials. However, what ARCH2 puts on the table is another taxpayer-funded false solution that fails to address West Virginia’s economic and environmental woes.
Four out of six of West Virginia’s remaining ARCH2 sites include “blue hydrogen,” a form of hydrogen production reliant on natural gas. With the anticipated $925-million corporate giveaway to ARCH2 and partners, this calls for further expansion in Marcellus Shale development and the radioactivity, air and water effects that we again pay for with our health.
Read Tyler’s full commentary here
If taxpayers are to pay for any scaled industrial project, we should see the benefits of the investment. The $935 million earmarked for ARCH2 would cover most of the $1 billion required for drinking water system improvements in West Virginia. In what way does the average person stand to benefit from committing to decades more of corporate giveaways and environmental degradation? West Virginians would benefit far more from a commitment to improving public health and infrastructure. How many more industries do we have to subsidize with our health and tax dollars before our needs reach the front of the line?