By A.J. Kaufman, Managing Editor
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin participated in the ribbon cutting of a new regional headquarters for CNX Resources, which extracts clean natural gas from waste methane in coal seams throughout Southwest Virginia. The expansion will house 75 employees, which will increase the facility’s square footage 85% and create eight new jobs.
“Today, we celebrate CNX Resources as they renew their commitment to Virginia,” Youngkin said during a Sept. 13 journey around the Appalachian Highlands. “CNX brings to life our vision for an all-American, all-of-the-above approach to fueling Virginia’s unprecedented economic growth and energy needs, leveraging Southwest Virginia’s rich coal mines to produce abundant, affordable, and lower emissions natural gas. By opening this state-of-the-art facility right here in Richlands, they’re betting on the future of energy production in the Commonwealth and their commitment to the Appalachian region.”
Under the terms of the agreement to retain the company’s regional headquarters in Virginia, the expansion project and the associated jobs and investment, the Tazewell County Industrial Development Authority purchased several parcels of land currently owned by CNX totaling approximately 121 acres near Tazewell High School.
“CNX Resources is proud to be in Richlands and to be expanding our operations across Southwest Virginia,” CNX President of New Technologies Ravi Srivastava explained. “A little less than a year ago, we held a ceremonial groundbreaking on this project and today, you are seeing the culmination of the collective efforts that got us to where we are today…We hope that by relocating our Virginia headquarters here, we will not only stimulate the local economy, but also be an asset to this community. This region is critical to the continued growth of our company, our employees and our vendors and we are proud to call it home.”
CNX Resources has operated in Southwest Virginia since the early 1990s and is a premier independent low carbon intensity natural gas development, production, midstream and technology company centered in the Appalachian Basin, one of the largest, most efficient, and sustainable sources of natural gas in the world. Its mission is to drive innovative change, deliver energy solutions for today and tomorrow, and enhance the communities in which it operates. By collecting the gas which naturally occurs in coal seams, CNX is producing the clean natural gas that is critical to a low-cost, reliable, secure, lower-carbon energy future that benefits Virginians, workers, and the environment.
Youngkin made the visit to Richlands as part of a multi-stop tour of Southwest Virginia. His crisscrossing of the region also included speaking about cell phone-free education at Gate City Middle School and concluded with the Washington County Fair in Abingdon and Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival in downtown Bristol.
Also in mid-September, the Youngkin administration received extensive coverage for its Interstate-81 improvement program. While touring the area, Youngkin said that the Virginia Department of Transportation is about two-thirds of the way through the project, ahead of schedule, and under budget. The scope of the project begins in Bristol and extends north. The governor told media that the program through the busy Southwest Virginia corridor boosts the economy by providing jobs and making it easier for goods and services to move through the region.
To close out September, Younkin announced that VFP Inc., a producer of custom-designed enclosures used to protect critical infrastructure for telecommunications, public safety radio, data centers and utility projects, will invest $5 million to expand its facility in Scott County. The expansion will help VFP better serve the growing data center market. Primarily by utility providers, municipalities, data centers, and broadband providers, VFP shelters can be found on all seven continents. Southwest Virginia competed successfully with Louisiana and Missouri for the project, which will create 50 new jobs.
“VFP’s expansion solidifies its commitment to not only Scott County, but Southwest Virginia as a whole,” Delegate Terry Kilgore, who represents the area, said in part. “In an ever-developing technological landscape, the importance of protecting the infrastructure for telecommunications, public safety radio, data centers, and utility projects are more important now than ever before.”
State Senator Todd Pillion added that, “Our region continues to compete at a high level for manufacturing facilities and jobs. This is a reflection of our strong workforce and business-friendly regulatory and policy environment that incentivizes investment.”