Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
West Virginia is spending millions on roads, water and sewer infrastructure at a former Boone County strip mine in hopes of drawing industry to the area.
A massive $19 million bridge and interchange connects U.S. 19 with the Rock Creek Industrial Park, the old Hobet strip mine, about 20 miles south of Charleston.
Now roughly $10 million more is cleared to provide water and sewer to an area where the public service district is already stretched thin.
“Sparsity is one of our primary problems,” Boone County PSD Chair Terry Harless said. “Currently, for example, we service 1,700 customers with sewage and that's in two areas and they’re not event very close together. Obviously if we had more volume of customers we could provide more efficiency."
WCHS asked Del. Josh Holstein, R-Boone, if infrastructure can buy growth.
“I think so. I think without infrastructure it's very had to have any kind of economic growth,” Holstein said.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey has been speaking on state problems with providing safe water, but funding for a fix are elusive.
“People told us what was working. They told us what wasn't working and some were frustrated," Morrisey said.
The question at Rock Creek is whether putting that infrastructure in first will help bring in industry in later.
A bridge doesn't guarantee a factory. A water line doesn't guarantee jobs and a sewage plant doesn't guarantee economic growth.
But without roads, water and sewer, supporters content prospects may never look at Boone County, but farther south on the same highway.
FULL STORY: wchstv.com/news/local/millions-poured-into-boone-county-infrastructure-in-hopes-of-drawing-industry
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Follow WCHS on social media:
Facebook: facebook.com/eyewitnessnewscharleston
Twitter: twitter.com/wchs8fox11
Instagram: instagram.com/wchs8fox11
For the latest local and national news, visit our website: wchstv.com
Sign up for our newsletter: wchstv.com/sign-up
West Virginia is spending millions on roads, water and sewer infrastructure at a former Boone County strip mine in hopes of drawing industry to the area.
A massive $19 million bridge and interchange connects U.S. 19 with the Rock Creek Industrial Park, the old Hobet strip mine, about 20 miles south of Charleston.
Now roughly $10 million more is cleared to provide water and sewer to an area where the public service district is already stretched thin.
“Sparsity is one of our primary problems,” Boone County PSD Chair Terry Harless said. “Currently, for example, we service 1,700 customers with sewage and that's in two areas and they’re not event very close together. Obviously if we had more volume of customers we could provide more efficiency."
WCHS asked Del. Josh Holstein, R-Boone, if infrastructure can buy growth.
“I think so. I think without infrastructure it's very had to have any kind of economic growth,” Holstein said.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey has been speaking on state problems with providing safe water, but funding for a fix are elusive.
“People told us what was working. They told us what wasn't working and some were frustrated," Morrisey said.
The question at Rock Creek is whether putting that infrastructure in first will help bring in industry in later.
A bridge doesn't guarantee a factory. A water line doesn't guarantee jobs and a sewage plant doesn't guarantee economic growth.
But without roads, water and sewer, supporters content prospects may never look at Boone County, but farther south on the same highway.
FULL STORY: wchstv.com/news/local/millions-poured-into-boone-county-infrastructure-in-hopes-of-drawing-industry
_________________________________________
Follow WCHS on social media:
Facebook: facebook.com/eyewitnessnewscharleston
Twitter: twitter.com/wchs8fox11
Instagram: instagram.com/wchs8fox11
For the latest local and national news, visit our website: wchstv.com
Sign up for our newsletter: wchstv.com/sign-up
