It was an announcement announcing that an announcement concerning the construction if a “cracker” plant in Belmont County would be delayed because of the global pandemic that has crippled the world and its collective economy.
Organized labor and local governments in the Upper Ohio Valley and IBEW Local 141 President Doug Giffin, Belmont County Commissioner J.P. Dutton, and Marshall County Chief Deputy Bill Helms all remain confident the development will take place.
“We expected the announcement with this crisis having the impact it has had,” Helms said. “We had heard about some kind of event for this spring, and obviously that’s not possible right now, but we are confident that this project is going to move forward and have an enormous impact on Marshall County.
“That’s why we have been preparing for this project. It’s a game-changer,” he said. “The folks from Beaver County have been great to work with, and they really have opened our eyes.”
The Actual Release
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a world-scale petrochemical complex in Ohio remains a top priority for the PTTGCA-Daelim partnership. While there are factors resulting from this health crisis that have kept us from acting as quickly as we would like, we continue to move as quickly as we can.
We have completed the first phase of site preparation and engineering work, and we will continue to invest in the safety of the surrounding neighborhood by demolishing vacant structures. Meanwhile, project leaders are working with our key partners toward a final investment decision for the project.
While, due to circumstances beyond our control related to the pandemic, we are unable to promise a firm timeline for a final investment decision, we are working hard toward that decision, and we pledge that we will do everything within our control to make an announcement as soon as we possibly can with the goal of bringing jobs and prosperity to the Ohio Valley.
We are extremely grateful for the support we have received from the DeWine-Husted administration, JobsOhio, Belmont County, Mead Township and Shadyside School District. Most of all, we appreciate the enthusiasm and the patience of the Ohio Valley Community.
Waiting Workforce
Leaders of local organized labor have been preparing for increased demand for local people power ever since an agreement was signed with PTT Global America three years ago. School districts have reacted, too, with conversations about expanding Career Tech classes into middle school curriculum.
“And that is a great idea because there’s going to be a lot of work in this region for a lot of years,” Giffin said. “The sooner our young people are introduced to new things, I believe it helps them consider their options and their interests. Those kind of classes could lead a student into a major in college or into a good career with one of the local trades.
“From what we have seen from the project in Beaver County, every single local member of every trade we have in this area will have a job for a lot of years in Belmont County if they want it,” he explained. “What we had heard about the announcement was that it was coming in April, and obviously, that can’t happen right now, but labor in this area remains confident that the project will move forward.”
The project has been met with opposition from local and regional environmental groups during permit and informational hearings, but Giffin believes the majority of residents in the Upper Ohio Valley hope the development moves forward.
“How long have we heard that we want to keep our young people here in the Valley? I think most parents these days hope they have that chance,” he said. “The economy in this area will change once this starts, and the development will continue for years to come.”
Millions of Dollars.
$9 million to Meade Township. $38 million to the Shadyside School District. $20 million to Belmont County.
And that represents just to the beginning.
“After the information that was released in March about the agreements that have been met with the county, the Shadyside School District, and with Meade Township, we have been absolutely confident that this project will move forward once it can,” Dutton explained. “And anyone who has driven past that site has seen the amount of earthmoving work that has taken place. That just doesn’t happen without something coming.
“It is difficult to think about making a final decision about that size of an investment with this situation across the world right now, but I do think this is a slight delay with the announcement of the final decision,” he continued. “But I have no reason, honestly, not to have total confidence that this enormous development is going to move forward.”
Houses have been demolished in Dilles Bottom, and the earth has been sculpted.
“Because of the conversations we have had with the officials of PTT, I do remain confident this is all going to move forward, and I also feel that way because of other property purchases that have taken place by other developer connected to the plastics industry,” Dutton said. “Property acquisitions for the property near the construction site have continued, too, and I believe the majority of the property owners the company owner reached out to have come to agreements.
“There are some properties, I know, that they haven’t acquired, and I know that they wish to, but I also know that they are prepared to move forward without those parcels,” the commissioner said. “I’m sure those conversations will continue, and I really hope everyone moves forward satisfied.”
