State Industrial & Environmental Regulations/Permitting

Relocating or expanding industries need to have knowledge of the steps that are required to meet environmental protection regulations. Wetzel County Chamber of Commerce can relay questions to appropriate officials for you, or you can make direct contact to the offices listed below.

Air Pollution Control Commission
2305 Grand Central Ave.
Vienna, West Virginia 26105
304-295-6608

Division of Environmental Protection
601-57th Street
Charleston, West Virginia 25304

Division of Water and Waste Management
601- 57th Street
Charleston, West Virginia 25304
304-926-0495

In addition, there a number of low-cost and no-cost programs designed to help small and medium-sized businesses adequately research and implement a sound environmental plan. These programs include:

Pollution Prevention Services 304-926-0499 ext 1331
Small Business Assistance Program (air quality) 304-926-0499
The Small Business Ombudsman (air quality) 304-926-0499 ext 1381
Marshall University Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences 304-696-3568
University Procurement Technical Assistance Center 304-696-6787
West Virginia University Industrial Extension Service 304-293-4211
West Virginia Partnership for Industrial Modernization 304-525-1916
National Institute for Chemical Studies 1-800-611-2296 ext 834
The National Technology Transfer Center Environmental Technology Exchange Program 1-800-678-6882

Water Quality

Activity Subject to Permit:

• Discharging directly into the waters of the State, National Pollutant
• Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
• Acquiring, installing, constructing, modifying or operating potential water pollution sources.

Time Required for Permit: Approximately 6 months

Contact:

West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection
Office of Water Resources
Charleston, WV 25311
304-558-8855



Activity Subject to Permit:

• Acquiring, installing, constructing, modifying or operating public water supplies.

Time Required for Permit: Approximately 6 months

Contact:
West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection
Office of Water Resources
601-57th Street
Charleston, WV 25304
304-926-0495

Air Quality

Activity Subject to Permit:

• Constructing, modifying or relocating a facility which may discharge air contaminants into the air.
• Operating a facility which may discharge contaminants into the air.

Time Required for Permit: Approximately 6 months to 1 year upon receipt of a completed application and provided on-site monitoring is not required.

Contact:
West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection
Office of Air Quality
601-57th St.
Charleston, WV 25304
304-926-0475

Solid Waste

Activity Subject to Permit:

• Disposing of industrial solid wastes and debris.
• Constructing a facility/site designed to handle solid waste - landfill or transfer station.
• Operating a facility/site designed to handle solid waste - landfill or transfer station.

Time Required for Permit: (After solid waste authority gives site approval and after Public Service Commission issues a Certificate of Need)

Approximately 6 months - 90 days for review; 90 days for issuing

Contact:
West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection
Office of Waste Management
Solid Waste Management Section
601-57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
304-926-0499 ext 1295

West Virginia Educational Institutions that provide support on Industrial and Environmental issues

West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation
A non-profit corporation providing technical, educational and promotional assistance to its members, the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation (WVHTCF) is a rapidly-growing group of high-tech companies located throughout the state.

For more information, contact:
West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation
1000 Technology Drive, Suite 1000
Fairmont, WV 26554
Ph: 1-877-363-5482
Fax: 304-366-2699
E-mail: info@wvhtf.org
Website: www.wvhtf.org

West Virginia Institute of Technology
West Virginia Institute of Technology offers programs with strong professional, scientific, and technological emphasis. The Institute develops and maintains activities which are consistent with its responsibilities for economic development of the region and state. To accomplish this mission, the Institute prepares students for technically-oriented occupations and responds to statewide and regional needs for the delivery of engineering and technical programs through extension offerings, continuing education, and consultative activities of its faculty and staff.

For additional information, contact:
West Virginia Institute of Technology
EDA Technical Assistance Center
405 Fayette Pike
Montgomery, WV 25136
Ph: 304-442-4088
Website: www.wvutech.edu

West Virginia University Industrial Extension Service (WVUIES)
The West Virginia University Industrial Extension Service (WVUIES), established in 1991, provides outreach services to the state’s manufacturing sector. Focusing on small and medium-sized manufacturing operations, WVUIES helps to stimulate the expansion of business and employment by improving profitability and competitiveness. The IES is a division of the WVU Extension Service dedicated to delivering technical and management assistance to manufacturing firms throughout West Virginia and helping them make better decisions by supplying direct services and information in technical and management areas.

For additional information, contact:
West Virginia University industrial Extension Service
317 MRB
Morgantown, WV 26506-6070
Ph: 304-293-4211
Website: www.wvmep.com

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

Presently, new employers pay a rate of 2.7 percent on the first $12,000 of wages for each employee, in the calendar year, for contribution to unemployment compensation.

After an employer's account has been potentially chargeable, or actually charged, with unemployment benefits for 36 months preceding the computation date of June 30, the employer is assigned an earned rate, which may be higher or lower than 2.7 percent depending upon the stability of the employer's employment experience. The earned or penalty rate assigned an employer is based upon the employer's average annual payroll, credits to the employer's account, and charges made against the account for benefits paid to former employees. Penalty and earned rates range from a maximum of 7.5 percent to a minimum of 1.5 percent. An employer who is delinquent in submitting reports is assigned a rate of 7.5 percent.

A new employer that already has a division of that company operating in West Virginia will pay the same experience rate as the other division. (See New Business Start-Up Directory on page 9.)


Postal, Courier, Package services

Area branches of the U.S. Postal Service include:

Middlebourne 304-758-4021
New Martinsville 304-455-3211
Paden City 304-337-8761
Sistersville 304-652-5111

Courier, package and telegraph services are available through:

UPS: 1-800-742-5877
Federal Express: 1-800-463-3339
Western Union: 1-800-325-6000

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