Chamber hosts Energy Speaks luncheon

November 29, 2018

On Wednesday afternoon, the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce participated in a luncheon hosted by Energy Speaks, an initiative from the American Petroleum Institute, to discuss natural production and possibilities in the state.

As a featured speaker, the group invited Capt. James McCormick, a board member of Energy Speaks and the director of the Vets4Energy program.

A West Virginia native and resident, McCormick retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years of service in which he was awarded the Silver Star for bravery, along with three Bronze Stars and three Purple Hearts.

A bamboo farmer, McCormick is also the director of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture's Veterans and Warriors to Agriculture Program.

While McCormick highlighted natural gas as an economic opportunity for the state, he also harped on the belief that national energy independence will increase the nation's overall security.

As a veteran, McCormick said that foreign countries and other entities use oil sales not only to fund themselves but to fund the purchase of arms used against Americans while highlighting that rules regarding the production of fossil fuels are much more stringent and environmentally sound than the regulations of countries where much of today's energy comes from.

In calling for energy independence, McCormick told the listeners that the nation needs to use a balance of energy sources from natural gas, to coal, to renewables until the nation isn't reliant on other countries for its energy needs.

"In West Virginia, we set on an opportunity," McCormick said. "Not just for West Virginia, but for America."...

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