Group wants federal money for “clean” energy projects in W.Va.

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - A local environmental advocate believes West Virginia could miss out on coming changes in the nation’s industrial economy.

Jean Ambrose is the local representative for “Reimagine Appalachia”, a group pushing for the conversion to cleaner energy sources.

She says one of its goals is to modernize the nation’s power grid, to run on renewable power sources.

Ambrose is concerned West Virginia could miss out on federal funding to accomplish that.

”And certainly, in the energy economy, we have powered the nation,” Ambrose told the Wood County Commission Thursday, “and we have not really reaped the benefits of being a resource-extraction state. Sometimes, it seems more like a curse than a benefit.”

She says modernizing the electrical grid would create good-paying jobs.

The commission is expected next week to consider a resolution calling on lawmakers to consider the state for expected federal money for energy upgrades.