The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's decision regarding a proposed coal-to-liquid plant in Mingo County could have a huge impact on future investment in the Northern Panhandle, according to Delegate Pat McGeehan.

The DEP's Division of Air Quality will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. today at the Larry Joe Harless Community Center in Gilbert, W.Va., before deciding whether to issue a permit to TransGas Development, which is seeking to build a $2.5 billion coal-to-gasoline facility near Wharncliffe, W.Va. - a town about a mile away from the West Virginia-Kentucky border.

McGeehan, R-Hancock, has spent much of the past year recruiting investors in an effort to bring such a plant to Weirton. He said the Mountain State needs to send a clear message to potential coal-to-liquid entrepreneurs that such technology is welcome. He recently sent a letter to DEP Secretary Randy Huffman, urging the department to grant the TransGas permit "with due haste."

"If this permit is denied, investment in this emerging industry could likely evaporate, as our government would indirectly be sending a signal that future projects will not be allowed," McGeehan said Wednesday.

McGeehan believes Weirton's proximity to large population centers as well as its access to rail and barge transportation would make the city attractive to prospective coal gasification investors.

"The faster we can implement these projects, the more employment we can generate and, ultimately, the more prosperity that will come to not just West Virginia, but the Northern Panhandle," he said.

McGeehan's letter to Huffman claims the potential construction of a coal-to-liquid plant in West Virginia "truly brings a new era to the Mountain State and will help West Virginia turn the corner on the global recession we all face." It goes on to point out the dwindling population and decline of the steel industry in Weirton.

"With little employment opportunity, our children have been forced to leave behind their families and the Mountain State altogether," he states.

McGeehan also believes coal-to-liquid technology reduces America's dependence on foreign oil. He noted several groups who support cap and trade legislation presently before the U.S. Senate are expected to attend today's meeting to protest the proposed Mingo County plant.

"There are a lot of different environmental groups out there right now that oppose this," he said, adding that he can't figure out why. "Where's their agenda at? What are they pushing for?"

McGeehan pointed out many of the same groups who support cap and trade also are anti-war - a position he believes can be advanced by exploring alternatives to foreign oil.

"That essentially is a major reason why we have a presence in the Middle East - to protect that strong national interest," he said.

McGeehan urged his constituents to get involved by contacting his federal counterparts and sounding off on cap and trade, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives this summer and calls for a drastic reduction in carbon emissions in coming years.

Market uncertainty and fear of investment, McGeehan said, will be a direct result of expanding government regulation of industry.

"If we can prevent that from happening, we can offer a much clearer signal that we welcome this type of technology," he said.