Energy Policy: Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed HB 5381, setting a “50 by 50” goal to triple West Virginia’s electric-generating capacity from 16 to 50 gigawatts by 2050, with added grid cyber protections and a baseload-first approach. Critical Minerals: Morrisey also signed SB 648 to create a statewide framework for extracting strategic and critical minerals, pointing to acid mine drainage operations as a model for more efficient recovery. Coal & Power Projects: A federal push for coal plant modernization is in the spotlight nationally, while a separate DOE-backed effort is funding early work on a new West Virginia coal-based campus tied to carbon capture. Infrastructure: U.S. Rep. Riley Moore secured $1 million for engineering and design toward replacing Wheeling’s long-closed Market Street Bridge, with construction timelines extending into the next decade. Environmental Enforcement: WV DEP proposed disposal deadlines and penalties for a Huntington steel operator over radioactive dust handling and labeling failures. STEM in Schools: WVPEC and WVU’s STEAM Technical Assistance Center teamed with the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation to bring hockey-themed STEM lessons to Eastwood Elementary and other under-resourced classrooms. Public Safety Tech: West Virginia State Police selected SmartSafety’s AccuraCSI to modernize statewide crime scene documentation and evidence management. Food & Health: New research and FDA-related moves on synthetic dyes show mixed progress, with West Virginia among states that have already tightened rules.