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Wheeling Committee on Regional Industrial Development Talks Ethane Cracker Potential

Photo by Alec Berry Peter Holloway, chairman of the Wheeling Committee on Regional Industrial Development, addresses members of the group, Thursday.

WHEELING — Chairman Peter Holloway gathered members of Wheeling’s new Committee on Regional Industrial Development Thursday to address initial concerns associated with the possible development of the PTT Global Chemical ethane cracker at Dilles Bottom.

Mayor Glenn Elliott appointed this committee in July with the idea the multi-billion-dollar project is likely to come to fruition. Holloway echoed this Thursday, saying at this point an ethane cracker is “100 percent” going to happen and residents should expect an official announcement in March 2017.

While exciting and ripe with economic opportunity, the committee did not shy away from various potential pitfalls the city of Wheeling and the Upper Ohio Valley face in the event the project proceeds.

These concerns include existing tax laws that may inadequately collect personal property taxes from visiting businesses and workers; a population influx which could suddenly place additional children into the school system; and rising rents and a lack of market-rate housing.

“I don’t want to beat up on construction companies, but a D-10 bulldozer is probably worth $1 million,” Art Musicaro of National Road Utility said. “If there’s 50 of them in a county, that’s … a lot of money someone should be paying personal property taxes on.”

Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce President Erikka Storch said Ohio County Schools may face a challenge if workers move their families with them.

She said the way the law is written, transient workers will have the right to send their children to school without paying property tax, a majority of which funds the local school system.

She wonders what financial effect this will have on the schools.

“Rents in this area are going to go through the roof,” Holloway said. “People who own houses are going to be happy, but there are going to be people who get dislocated because they cannot afford to live here.”

Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Frank O’Brien said this is a weakness because such activity should empower local residents. He said there are 1,850 available hotel rooms in Ohio County, which should benefit in the short term. Eddie D’Aquilla, of the Plumbers and Steamfitters No. 83 union, said at the cracker’s peak construction period, the Ohio Valley could see an additional 6,000 residents.

Despite these concerns, group members also perceive several opportunities associated with a cracker. Local payrolls for the labor force, as well as numerous other positions will spike.

D’Aquilla said local unions could expect to expand, and there will be a worthwhile occasion to partner with local community colleges to establish training programs.

He also mentioned the numerous businesses which could sprout up and complement the cracker. D’Aquilla said he’s already spoken with developers interested in building various things, such as truck terminals.

“It’s four or five years to build it, but there’s a 15-year growth cycle around it. The plastic companies that will come in, all the spin-offs,” D’Aquilla said. “I think that’s what a lot of people don’t understand. They just think ‘cracker, cracker, four years, four years,’ but it’s not four years.”

Wheeling’s Committee on Regional Industrial Development will meet monthly on the fourth Thursday at 8 a.m. It will have six months to strategize prior to offering official recommendations to City Council.

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