I would like to wish you all a prosperous and happy Labor Day.
When I think of Labor Day, I envision the machines manufactured by workers that freed us from a totally agricultural-based society.
This advancement in machines enabled us to develop electricity, lighting, and, above all, refrigeration. The latter allowed us finally to conquer every corner of the world.
Above all, Labor Day honors men and women who have been the backbone of our workforce, whether in the field or the factory.
A great part of that honorable group included the men and women who filled the Ohio River valley in West Virginia with steel mills in the Northern Panhandle and great chemical plants in the Kanawha Valley.
Those plants and their energy sources were brought to life by West Virginia coal miners who made this state what it is today.
Great power lines, whose manufacturing plants are fed by the coal they dig, crisscross our state and nation and provide light and heat not only to homes in West Virginia but far outside of our own region.
Many of these industries today fall under the regulatory duties of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia.
Decisions made by the Commissioners affect a broad spectrum of workers across this state.
We as commissioners, have the complicated task of trying to balance the competing interests. It is rarely an easy task to make our decisions.
Most cases are highly complex and take time to complete. It seems as though they get more technical and elaborate each year.
And in many of these cases, we get to hear not only from the companies but also from the members of the public.
People seem to be more aware of the things that are going on around them these days and how they are being affected by others’ actions. We at the Commission encourage comments from the people of West Virginia in these cases.
We want to know what you think when it comes time for us to make decisions.
