Technology (Economic Development)

HB 5028 creates the Small-Town Main Street Recovery Act, providing grants to West Virginia municipalities with fewer than 25,000 residents. The bill directs the Department of Economic Development to fund storefront upgrades, small business support, and broadband improvements in these communities. Municipalities must coordinate applications with county commissions or regional development authorities to receive priority consideration. The program aims to support economic revitalization in smaller towns through direct financial assistance for key infrastructure and business needs.

HB 5668 establishes the Central West Virginia Economic Development and Rural Revitalization Program to address economic challenges in eight specific counties: Webster, Clay, Braxton, Roane, Calhoun, Wirt, Lewis, and Gilmer. The bill creates a state program within the Department of Commerce that provides grants, loans, and technical assistance for projects like business development, infrastructure improvements, broadband expansion, and tourism initiatives. It also introduces a 25% tax credit for businesses making qualified investments in the region that create or retain full-time jobs. Projects must be located in the designated counties and prioritize job creation, private funding leverage, and support for economically distressed communities.

SB 623, titled the "West Virginia-Powered Data Center Incentive Act," creates new economic incentives for *new* data centers to locate in West Virginia by offering reduced property taxes and a tax credit for coal-fired electric utilities supplying them with power. To qualify, data centers must meet specific eligibility criteria and apply through a state process, with incentives requiring ongoing compliance to avoid recapture. The bill aims to attract data center investment to generate jobs, boost economic growth, and support West Virginia's coal industry by leveraging its coal-generated electricity infrastructure.

HB 4832 creates a program to support data center development in West Virginia by requiring "high impact" data centers (those meeting specific water and energy use thresholds) to report their water needs and obtain environmental certification that their operations won't harm state water resources. The environmental agency can limit or stop water withdrawals if adverse impacts are likely, and must hold public hearings for these facilities. The bill mandates transparency through standardized reporting while exempting certain business information from public disclosure requests. This aims to balance economic growth from data centers with protection of local water resources.