Oil, Gas Workers Rally in WV to Support Jobs

Oil, Gas Workers Rally in WV to Support Jobs
Hundreds of oil and gas workers and supporters rally at West Virginia's State Capitol to support jobs, news agencies in the US report.

Hundreds of oil and gas workers and supporters have rallied at West Virginia’s State Capitol to support jobs, news agencies in the US reported.

 

 

 

 

The goal of the activists was to call on lawmakers to generate more job creation and support the tens of thousands of men and women who contribute to the state's economy in the industry, WSAZ 3 news channel said.

“We have a strong presence in the state, nearly 18,000 jobs already right now and there can be so much more,” Anne Blankenship, executive director of the West Virginia oil and natural gas association, told WDTV 5 News.

Jason Hall, vice president of Hall Drilling, told WDTV 5 that people have held back the industry in the past, despite knowing how much opportunity it provides.

The rally’s official website outlined that lawmakers in Charleston are running out of time to take action on energy policies to support West Virginia jobs and economic development.  

More than $10 billion has been invested by the oil and gas industry in the state since shale development took off eight years ago, according to the rally website, which argued that modernizing West Virginia’s energy law will encourage more job-creating investment.



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Ken Kemp  |  March 22, 2017
I see one comment referring to the O&G industry as protestors; but they are not protesting against anything. Rather, they are trying to get the state government to support the oil and gas industry in the state. The same comment also seems to imply that some in the rally may be trying to get support for the coal industry. The coal industry is not mentioned anywhere in the article and oil and gas workers do not work in the coal industry.
michael mclaughlin  |  March 22, 2017
If any of those protestors think coal is coming back, they are sadly wrong. Coal died years, before Obama, and is not coming back. Coal is a dirty, the worse, energy source. Blame NG for the death of coal.