SOUTHERN WV (WOAY) – Gov. Patrick Morrisey is in the middle of a listening tour across the southern coalfields, hearing community concerns about clean water access.
Morrisey began his tour in Huntington today before heading to Mingo County. In a post on social media, he said he will be in Oceana Tuesday night and will spend the day in McDowell County Wednesday, although no specific places or times have been announced.
At the kickoff this morning, he said he wanted to hear from the people impacted the most.
“I want to hear from local residents, from mayors, from county officials, and quite frankly, the men and women who operate our water and sewer systems every day,” Morrisey said. “I want to hear from everyday people. This isn’t about making speeches. This is about listening to what’s going on.”
In a press release, Morrisey said the state has spent $550 million on water and wastewater projects in the last 18 months. However, he said many areas are plagued by aging infrastructure, and wants to hear from the people maintaining the systems every day.
“Reliable water is essential to improving quality of life, protecting public health, and creating the conditions for economic growth,” Governor Patrick Morrisey. “We want to hear directly from the people who know these systems best. The people living with these challenges every day often have the best ideas for solving them.
