“Ohio is at the center of America’s new energy industry, and the smart companies want to come here to be part of the great things that are happening. We are one step closer to landing a new, multi-billion dollar investment in eastern Ohio, and that’s exciting news for our state, the region and Belmont County.”

Larry Merry, Executive Director of the Belmont County Port Authority, also stated “This is the type of project that allows moms and dad’s to buy baseball gloves and dance lessons.” President of the Belmont County Board of Commissioners, Mark Thomas, also emphasized the magnitude of this announcement stating “This investment is one of the largest in the history of the State of Ohio.”

Ohio’s Representative for the region, Congressman Bill Johnson, added:

“Today’s announcement by Governor Kasich that a site in Belmont County has been selected for the possible construction of a natural gas processing facility, or ethane cracker, is a potential game changer for Eastern Ohio. Just last week, I hosted my second ‘Women in Energy’ Summit, and once again I saw the enthusiasm that is shared by both the energy industry and those that live and work in our region regarding new energy development and jobs in Appalachia Ohio – an area of the country that for far too long has been left behind.”