Gov. Justice calls for Biden Administration to end war on West Virginia
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CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — West Virginia Governor Jim Justice declared that the Biden Administration needs to stop their war against West Virginia.
Governor Justice and WVDEP go into second phase of program for properties that are neglected
On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, Gov. Jim Justice declared the Biden Administration is waging war against West Virginia with their federal agencies. Several state projects have been put on hiatus due to the back and forth nature of the disputes.
“I’m calling on President Biden to stop this all out war on West Virginia by his federal agencies. It’s so blatantly targeted at our state and our people because we happen to disagree on political issues. It’s just plain wrong. We aren’t asking for special treatment, just fairness and consistency in the decisions by these agencies that have the power to affect our state, our economy, and the livelihoods of hardworking West Virginians.”
Gov. Jim Justice
The State Wildlife Center is temporarily closed due to a decision from the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to no longer recognize long standing variance for a secondary containment fence that was issued in 2000. As a result, the Wildlife Center is unable to exhibit animals and will remain closed to the public until a new license is gathered.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently informed the West Virginia DNR that trout stocking will need to cease in areas with a known population of Candy Darter, Guyandotte River crayfish, and Big Sandy crayfish. The DNR Fish Hatchery operates on federal funding and therefor the USFWS was obligated to review the possible effects of trout stocking on federally listed aquatic species. The DNR will be conducting their own study to determine the extent of the effects on these species, but until a deal can be reached four WV streams will be removed from the stocking program.
In 2022, a rare bee, the Rusty Patched Bumblebee, was found in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest. Due to this discovery, the DOT will submit a report to the USFWS highlighting the low impact they will have on the rare bee. By creating pollinator zones along Corridor H, the DOT believes they will mitigate any disturbance to the Rusty Patched Bumblebee. The back-and-forth between DOT and the USFWS has delayed progress on the Parsons to Davis section of Corridor H for more than a year.
Gov. Justice ends his message stating his disappointment in these decisions and his plan to work with Senators to help cut the red tape.
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