Cooperation Vital in Region
There was no disagreement among those seeking seats on the Belmont County Commission on one topic brought up during a candidates’ forum last week. All agreed the next big thing in economic development — potential construction of an ethane cracker plant in the county — will require cooperation among officials in both Ohio and West Virginia.
That has not been the rule in the past. Competition for new businesses has been common and not altogether unproductive.
But this is different. The cracker plant proposed by PTT Global Chemical has the potential of being the biggest creator of jobs for East Ohio and Northern Panhandle residents in decades. Nothing like it has been seen by most people in our area.
At the same time, construction of the plant could strain some resources, ranging from skilled workers to housing for them.
And the local project is not the only regional consideration, as was pointed out at the forum. Many area residents will benefit from planned construction of another cracker in Beaver County, Pa.
It was good to hear discussion of interstate cooperation last week. But that talk needs to be followed up by concrete cooperation — and soon.
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