Senate 28

SENATE RESOLUTION 28

(By Senators Clements, Azinger, Barnhart, Chapman, Garcia, Oliverio, Rose, Weld, and Taylor)

[Introduced February 5, 2026]

Expressing support for the I-68 Energy Manufacturing AI Corridor.

Whereas, The West Virginia Route 2/Interstate 68 (I-68) Authority was established by the Legislature on April 12, 1997, with the passage of House Bill 2539 and signed by Governor Cecil Underwood on May 2, 1997; and

Whereas, The extension of Interstate 68 from its junction with I-79 near Morgantown, West Virginia, to West Virginia Route 2 at Kent, West Virginia, has been sought after even before the creation of the authority; and

Whereas, The Shale Crescent region in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania is the premiere low-cost and most profitable energy manufacturing region; and

Whereas, The project to extend Interstate 68 has the potential to accelerate private and government revenues and create thousands of jobs in the Shale Crescent region; and

Whereas, President Trump's administration, during his first term in office, supported this project by working with and holding meetings at the White House with the West Virginia Route 2/I-68 Authority; and

Whereas, The White House arranged meetings with the United States Department of Transportation, Department of Commerce, and the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., and obtained their support for the I-68 economic engine under President Trump's first term to expedite this project; and

Whereas, This project would play a major role in accomplishing President Trump's current agenda to create conditions for economic growth and opportunity for re-shoring energy manufacturing AI; and

Whereas, The extension of I-68 has never been more important than now; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate hereby expresses support for the I-68 Energy Manufacturing AI Corridor; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Senate fully supports and urges the Trump White House, Governor Patrick Morrisey, the Legislature, and representatives of both state and federal government bodies to do everything in their power to secure funding to extend and build the I-68 Energy Manufacturing AI Corridor from the junction with I-79 near Morgantown, West Virginia, to West Virginia Route 2 at Kent, West Virginia, then across the Ohio River to Clarington, Ohio, to I-77 near Caldwell, Ohio, and eventually westward to I-75 between Dayton and Middletown, Ohio.