HR 15 — Expressing support for I-68 Energy Manufacturing Corridor

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Red = new code to be enacted HOUSECommittee SubstituteforHOUSE RESOLUTION 15(By Delegates G.

Ward, Statler, Stephens,and Bridges,Stephens)[Originating andin Zatezalo)[Introducedthe FebruaryCommittee 17,on 2026;Energy and Public Works;

referredtoReported the Committee on EnergyFebruary and24, Public2026] Expressing Works then Rules] Expressing support for the I-68 Energy Manufacturing AICorridorWhereas, Corridor.Whereas, The West Virginia Route 2/Interstate2 (WV Route 2) / Interstate 68 (I-68) Authority was established by the WV Legislature on April 12, 1997, with the passage of House Bill 2539 and signed by Governor Cecil Underwood on May 2, 1997;

andWhereas,being Thevested extension of Interstate 68 from its junction with I-79the nearpower Morgantown, West Virginia, to Westpromote Virginia Route 2 at Kent, West Virginia, has been sought after even before the creationCorridors ofdevelopment; the authority;

andWhereas, The Shaleextension Crescentof regionI-68 infrom Ohio,its junction with I-79 near Morgantown, West Virginia, andto PennsylvaniaWV isRoute 2 within Marshall County, West Virginia, to span the premiereOhio low-costRiver andwhere most profitablepractical, energyhas manufacturingbeen region;sought after even before the creation of the authority;

andWhereas, The projectShale toCrescent extendregion Interstateof 68Ohio, hasWest theVirginia, potentialand toPennsylvania accelerateis privateamong andthe governmentlargest revenuesnatural andgas createproducing thousandsregions of jobsthe incountry, theand Shaleis Crescenta region;major producer of natural gas liquids;

andWhereas, PresidentThe Trump'sCorridor administration,has duringthe hispotential firstto termaccelerate inrevenues office,of supportedthe thispublic projectand byprivate workingsector withalike, andcreating holdingthousands meetingsof atjobs in the WhiteShale HouseCrescent withregion, thereby linking the Westcenter Virginiaof RouteAppalachian 2/I-68energy Authority;production to the Midwest for streamlined interstate commerce;

andWhereas, The White House arranged meetings with the United States Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce, and the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., and the WV 2/I-68 Authority, and obtained their support forto theexpedite I-68The economicCorridor engine under President Trump's first termterm; to expedite this project;

andWhereas, ThisThe projectCorridor would playadvance aThe majorExecutive’s role in accomplishing President Trump's current agenda to createdevelop conditionsinfrastructure necessary for economic growth and opportunityopportunities for re-shoring energyenergy, manufacturingmanufacturing, AI;and the development of AI technologies;

andWhereas, The extensionCorridor ofis I-68crucial hasas nevernatural beengas moreextraction importantfrom thanthe now;Shale Crescent region is expected to continue to rise, placing additional unanticipated stress on highway infrastructure and many secondary roads;

therefore, be itResolved by the House of Delegates:That the House of Delegates hereby expresses support for the I-68 Energy Manufacturing AI Corridor;

and,and be itFurther Resolved, That the House of Delegates fully supports and urges the Trump White House, Governor Patrick Morrisey, the Legislature, and representatives of both state and federal government bodies to do everything in their power to secure funding to extendactualize and build the I-68 Energy Manufacturing AI Corridor from the junction with I-79 near Morgantown, West Virginia, to WestMarshall VirginiaCounty, Route 2 at Kent, West Virginia,Virginia thenand across the Ohio River towhere Clarington,most Ohio,practical, tomeeting I-77 near Caldwell, Ohio, and eventually westward to I-75 between Dayton and Middletown, Ohio.