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Letters to the Editor

Reader: Permit should be denied

I am against granting a permit for the proposed Fundamental Data LLC, Ridgeline Power Plant in Tucker County, West Virginia, which was reported in the June 28 issue of The Inter-Mountain newspaper. Why should West Virginia become the dumping ground for pollutants for out-of-state, money-hungry companies? Why should our citizens and our children be subject to the health and environmental consequences of such a project, which will not even provide power to the grid? It reminds me of the inexcusable acts committed in West Virginia which were portrayed in the movie, “Dark ...

Children ‘most at risk,’ reader says

I am against giving a permit for a proposed Ridgeline power plant, as reported in The Inter-Mountain, June 28, 2025. Why should we, in West Virginia, breathe in 9.7 tons of hazardous air pollutants every year for the benefit of someone who conceals their purposes and their identity? Children are most at risk because they have higher respiratory rates and breathe closer to the ground, where the more dangerous pollutants lie. I am not willing to risk the health of even one child, for someone else’s hidden profit motive. Also, where are the faceless fundamentalists going to receive ...

Local perspective on flood control

Attention: City of Elkins, Randolph County Commission, US Army Corp of Engineers I am writing this letter after the terrible tragedy in Texas. I think being proactive rather than being reactive (after the fact) can save lives. In this particular case, I am asking The InterMountain to find out information on the dam and flood control in our community to see when it was built, the condition of it, how often it is inspected and the last date of inspection. The Elkins area, before the flood control, often flooded. The safety and the status of the flood control system should ...

Reader: Bill is big, but not so beautiful

When I read the op-ed from Congressman Riley Moore entitled “‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Delivers for West Virginia,” I was confused. After reading extensively about this garbage piece of legislation, I was hoping to discover some policies in his editorial that actually benefit West Virginians. But sadly, I couldn’t find any. Maybe he accidentally on purpose forgot about the items I’m going to highlight in my letter, after all it was approximately 1000 pages in length. Or maybe he was too busy hiding from his constituents to actually read it. He began the piece by talking ...

Proposed power plant prompts controversy

The powers that be in West Virginia are at it again on the Tucker County mountain top. Not only do they want to put Corridor H through the Blackwater Canyon, but now someone wants to permit the 1,600-MW Ridgeline power plant to run a sprawling data center within two miles of Thomas and Davis and within one mile of the local elementary school. To make matters worse, the West Virginia Legislature has greased the skids with the passage of House Bill 2014, which stops local officials from saying “not in my backyard.” This new microgrid law also allows for most of the tax ...

Remember animal friends on the 4th

As we celebrate the Fourth of July with friends, flags, and freedom, let’s take a moment to consider those denied even the most basic liberties—not just people, but animals. Whether hunted, trapped, caged in zoos, confined in labs, or raised and killed for their fur, skin, feathers, or flesh—animals have no freedom. Farmed animals, in particular, endure unimaginable suffering. Billions live confined, never knowing autonomy, dignity, or joy. Chickens can’t spread their wings, pigs can’t root in the soil, and cows never feel the sun. They’re bred for ...