An update on the continuing misadventure of Sidewinder to have its way with Middleway and Jefferson County. The Planning Commission put up a strong defense and denied the company’s proposal, for which our thanks. Days later, a judge provisionally affirmed the Commission’s decision.
John Doyle weighs in on the issue of unproductive and uncapped gas and oil wells in West Virginia–more than 12,000 to date with more on the way. It’s supposed to be the responsibility of the drillers to plug them when they’re abandoned, but the drillers resist. The Governor’s agreement with one of the offending companies only draws out a serious problem, it doesn’t solve it.
John Doyle, looking under the hood of Jefferson County government, suspects that zoning may be under threat and wonders if some decisions made out of the public eye are legitimate.