May 27, 2025 • 36 mins
Justin Williams- Director of the Affiliated Construction Trades on available careers in a wide range of trades.
Retired West Virginia National Guard Major General Bill Crane onrare earth elements and developing a supply chain
Retired West Virginia National Guard Major General Bill Crane onrare earth elements and developing a supply chain
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Klucksburg.
If it's happening, we're talking about it. Call the show
toll free at one eight hundred and seven sixty five
eight two fivey five. Now Here is your host for
the Talk of the Town, Mike Notlting.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
A good Wednesday morning, right now, clouds and sixty three
degrees in the University City. This is Talk of the Town,
your program highlighting the things that are important to you
and your family. I'm Mike Notlting. You'll find me out
on x as your news guy. And we also have
(00:59):
a text line with to hear from you throughout the
course of the program. That number is three zero four
Talk three zero four. Mia Hankins is conducting our production
duties today. That telephone number into the production room is
eight hundred and seven six five eight two five five.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Justin Williams is the director of the Affiliated Construction Trades
at the West Virginia Building in Construction Trades Organization. Now,
thousands of students just got their diplomas and mapping out
their future. Now here's just something to think about. From
the time that you got up this morning, you went
to work fixed some breakfast, so on and so forth,
(01:44):
took a shower, drove to work, You'll go home and
basically do the same thing. Well, that entire journey is
affected by electricians, plumbers, pipe fitters, iron workers, miners, operators, labors. Now,
those trades all provide family sustaining way, ages and careers
with benefits and retirement. Now we're going to talk to
(02:04):
Justin about the opportunities that are available to young people
just getting out of high school and how they can
leverage their skills and get involved. At nine point forty,
we've got former Adjutant General of the State of West Virginia,
Bill Crane. We're going to be speaking with Bill Crane
about his recent testimony in Washington, d c. Relating to
(02:28):
rare earth in minerals. That text line number again is
eight three four talk three four.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Now.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Breaking, just as we went on the air, Jeff Jenkins
from the newsroom in Charleston broke that a woman has
been fatally shot at a sheets gas station on mccorcyle
Avenue in Kanas City overnight. And now this certainly isn't
anything that will affect us locally, but this is a
great opportunity to high like the fact that number one,
(03:02):
you've got a guy getting gas. It's and it says,
quote the police say he was messing with a gun
in his truck when it accidentally discharged and struck a
woman near by. Now that woman is dead, and it
leads me to think, have just a greater conversation about guns,
(03:24):
because you know what, you don't keep a ballpeen hammer
or a sALS all on your end table at home,
do you know? It's a It's a specialized tool, just
like a firearm is, just like a weapon is. And
they're meant to be respected, and they're meant to be
used in proper instances, under proper circumstances. And of course,
(03:48):
if you're not going to smoke a cigarette when you're
getting gas, why in the world would you get a
gun out and mess with it? And then secondly, why
would you do that just after midnight? Circumstances certainly seemed
to be rather suspicious, and that investigation is ongoing. That
just broke as we came on the air here. Of course,
(04:10):
one of the stories here today is the fact that
we've got rain coming in today. It's likely going to
be with us through tomorrow and into tomorrow night. Looking
at Metro News Aki where the radar and that certainly
looks to be coming too fru u. There is a
rain now approaching across Harrison County into Marion County and
(04:34):
soon to hit Mon County later this morning. A Metro
News Aki weather meteorologist Andrew Kendall told me just about
about fourteen hours ago that that rain would start mid
to late morning and intensified this afternoon, maybe a shower
or thunderstorm, maybe a little break in the overnight, but
(04:55):
then it returns Wednesday to hang around throughout the Wednesday.
Kemball says, a half to an inch through this system.
When we come back, we're going to welcome Justin Williams
to the program, and we're going to be talking about
seats that are available for high school seniors and who knows,
(05:16):
maybe for people that are looking to nine eleven clouds
in the University City and sixty three degrees. Will be
back to get things started right after this.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five. This is the talk of
the town.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Good Tuesday morning.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
It is nine to fifteen clouds and sixty three degrees
in the University city. The director of the Affiliated con
Instruction Trades in West Virginia is Justin Williams.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Good morning, Justin.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
How are you today, Good morning, Mike, I'm good. Thanks
for having me.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Absolutely, it's a pleasure to have you on. Justin.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Now, let's see, in the last few weeks, thousands of
seniors within the state of West Virginia have received their diplomas.
They're mapping out the next steps for their lives. And
it got me to thinking about, you know, just about
everything you do during the day is affected by one
of the critical trades that you represent.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
That's right, that's right. You know we represent fourteen different
trades organizations and it really does impact you know, whether
you go to work in a building, a facility, you know,
an energy generation facility, a school, or a factory. You know,
it was built by somebody within the trades. You know,
(06:55):
the roads we drive on, the we cross that's built
by you know, the skilled trades. And so it really
does everything we do starts with construction and the members
that I represent, and so you know, it's everything. It's
brick layers and carpenters, electricians, the masons, operators, type bitters, plumbers, painters, roofers,
(07:16):
sheet metal h backworkers. So it's everything that most of
us take for granted on a daily basis, certainly.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
And you know, justin one of the biggest enticements that
one could have to join a field of service or
a career is the pay and benefits. What can you
tell us about paying benefits within the trades?
Speaker 4 (07:36):
So or so in the trades, it's a great career
opportunity ahead of people when you join the trades. You know,
you start out as an apprentice in the union trades,
and you start off with a good wage, but you
also start with a pension and benefits, health insurance and
so you know, we did a study last year and
the economic impact study for the state and our average
(07:58):
wage across the fourteen trades, it's about thirty five dollars
an hour before deductions, you know, which a couple of
dollars come out for here and there and then another
you know, twenty dollars worth of benefits or so, so
you're talking, you know, in the neighborhood of fifty dollars
an hour for wages and benefits for somebody coming out
when they're a full time journey worker after completing their apprenticeship.
(08:19):
And you know, our apprenticeship programs range from from two
years to four years, you know, just depending on the
trade that you're in, and you know the on the
job training that you'll get while you're doing that training,
both in the classroom and on the job.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I think that's a really important thing to focus on here,
is that the training here is provided and in some cases,
as you just said, it's on the job training, meaning
you get paid for it. That's right.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Our our you know, our apprenticeship programs, you know, you
kind of come in when you when you join an
apprenticeship program, you apply. You know, they have interview processes
and we want the best of the best, drug free,
hard working jobs. But you get paid well for this
hard work and it's really appreciated. And then you know,
it's really something to hang your hat on because you
(09:08):
can see what you've done. But it really is training.
That is, it's college level training for the trades. And
so start an apprenticeship, you get six your safety, you know,
making sure you know all the safety regulations and that
when you go to work that you're going to be
safe and that you'll be able to return home every evening,
and so you know that is and then you go
(09:29):
out and you work with experienced workers and they show
you the nuts and bolts of the day to day
job and you learn from them and their experience, and
then you can come back in as a you know,
apprentice or a journey worker and continue to get new skills,
whether it's you know something you've never done, you know
different types of brick or block, or different types of welding,
(09:50):
different pieces of equipment that you want to run. You
can always kind of hone your skill and improve and
give yourself more opportunities to go to work.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Direct or of the Affiliated Construction Trades in West virginia's
Justin Williams, and he's with us right now. And you know,
Justin some of those trades are seasonal. You said that
they do pay well, and I've known people over the
years that have taken some of those seasonal jobs gladly
because it allows them maybe a little more flexibility during
(10:22):
the winters than they would normally have. Or you can
choose if you're in the if you're in construction trades,
you can always then move into building construction in the
winter time.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
But you do have choices don't you.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
That's right. It's the skills you learn within the trades
is a great opportunity, you know, not only to you know,
work outside, work with your hands, but yeah, you know,
if you're a painter, maybe you paint the outside of
a building during the summer, then you're painting the inside
during the winter months. You know, it also gives you
the opportunity to travel. These skills are very transferable, right,
so if you're working on a bil, be here and
(11:00):
then you know, if there's a big project where they
need workers, you know in Georgia, you know we'll do that.
I know workers right now in West Virginia. Columbus has
a huge construction boom going on with some of the
chips plants, and so there have been people that have
kind of taken that opportunity to go there. Just across
the border, you know, not too long ago, there was
(11:21):
an announcement of a new natural gas powerhouse is going
to be built on that old site in Pennsylvania. My
assumption is that there'll be from West Virginia workers that
go work on that because it's a big opportunity. They
need a lot of trades workers, and so, you know
the need and the demand is as high now as
it's ever been. And the trades are a great career
(11:43):
opportunity for somebody, you know, coming out of high school.
But also, as you mentioned, you know in the Into
your Life segment that people who want to make a
change in their career, there's a great opportunity for people
who want to work hard and show up to go
into something new and make a career. The studies say that,
you know, over the next fifteen years, a great number
(12:06):
of trades members are going to be retirement eligible. I'm
not going to say they're all going to retire, but
retirement eligible. And so we need to fill those positions
and start training this next generation of workers to fill
those jobs because without them, as we mentioned, you know,
we won't have power, we won't have buildings to go to,
grocery stores, electric, you know, whatever the case may be.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So you know, justin you mentioned chips plants in the Columbus,
Ohio area of natural gas building over in Pennsylvania, and
you know what, when I look around, of course, you know,
my focus is a little bit more local than yours.
But when I look around, I see the new bridge
(12:49):
from over the Montagelia mononga Hala River into the Morgantown
Industrial Park that's valued at about fifty sixty million dollars.
You've got widening work on I seventy nine and bridge
work from the Pennsylvania state line all the way down
to Harrison County. You've got a new twenty million dollar
(13:10):
fitness complex. It's going to be built on the campus
of Glenville State University. We know that cranes are always
in the era at the WVU campus, and there are
additional improvements really all over the area. So I guess
talk about future demand a little bit.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Yeah, that's y're one hundred percent right. I mean, the
growth of the roadwork has been from Charleston to Morgantown
and Charleston to Huntington. If you've driven either of those roads,
you've experienced construction and even up into the northern painting
wheeling and the bridges up in Hancock County. But you know,
the hospitals across the state are really growing. Wu Vandelia
(13:52):
Mond General that that organization. You know, there's investments into
the healthcare industry like we've never seen before. You know,
we worked on the children's hospital in the recent years.
Plus what athletics is doing right, you see it with
WU Athletics, uh, the baseball fields and all the projects
going on around there. So it's i mean, there's a
(14:14):
lot of opportunities, you know. And then the other big
thing is just energy, right, So data centers have been
the talk right all the way through legislative session and
across the country. What are we going to do with
data centers? Not only building those data centers, but the
energy that they take to run them. And so you know,
that's a huge opportunity in West Virginia up in just
(14:35):
a little bit north of you and at the form
Energy factory right there, getting ready to release their first
shipment of batteries out in July. And so they've completed
that project and they're getting ready to start phase two
of that project. And so that's work, you know. So
there's a lot of work in the natural gas industry still.
There's you know, talks of natural gas powerhouses in the
(14:55):
in the area, and so you know, there's a great
career ahead were for everybody in the trades, and it's
you know, they're interested, you know, they can always check
out our website. It's West Virginia Trades dot org. And
that has links to all the apprenticeships or information to
get in contact with me or any of our trades.
And you know, we're happy to connect people up where
(15:16):
we can.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
You know, I just go by my experience and knowledge
and knowing that a lot of these trades, they're generational.
You've got fathers and sons that follow in their footsteps
and continue the trades.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
But where do you find your workers? Do you recruit
or do.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
You wait for them to come in to you and say, hey,
I'm ready to go.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
No, it's it's definitely recruitment, you know. So you're right,
there is a lot of familial groups that come in
and we're seeing that still, but you see it cross
trades and you see people that have worked in different
trades that come into the trades as well. So maybe
they were maybe they're you know, father was a coal miner,
maybe they were a truck drive or now they do
(16:00):
a different type of trade. But we're also recruiting, you know,
more people to do it because the trades of today
is different than it ever had been. Just like manufacturing,
as you know, there's more technology, right there's using drones
and GPS dozers and so you know, we're recruiting, you know,
people that want to work with their hands and do
a different job. But it can be you know, people
(16:22):
that are interested in engineering, people that are interested in
architecture and that want to actually see the fruition of
those plans being built. And we're working through that with
some other projects. You know. Just recently the legislature passed
a program where when you complete an apprenticeship, you can
work through and potentially get an associate's degree. So it's
(16:43):
really trying to ramp up that recruitment saying, hey, yes
you want to get a degree, Well here's your path.
You can go to an apprenticeship, start earning while you're learning,
and then get an associates stree when you complete it,
and if you need want to, you can continue that
on to a four year or postgrap to a degree
as well. And so you know, it really is recruitment.
We're out there at job bears and career fairs. We
(17:06):
work with helmets to hard hats, which recruits veterans when
they return from their service to join the trades.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Maybe justin if you're up here in the Morgantown, Bridgeport,
Clarksburg Fairmount area kicking around, where would I go in
this area of the state to get more information, maybe
talk to somebody.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Sure, So there's different union halls throughout the area. That's
you know, down in Weston, the painters have a big
training facility. Ib W Operating engineers have Clarksburg offices. The
pipe fitters have an office in Morgantown, the carpenters have
some in in Clarksburg. So they're they're everywhere. And then
obviously if if you're kind of depending on where you're
(17:48):
at and what trades you're interested in, you know, we've
got locations different different locations all around the state, and
so you know, our our website West Virginia Trades dot
org is the really going to be the catch off
for all of the information that somebody's looking for.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Okay, and then the last thing I got for you
justin we've got about a minute left. When you take
these jobs with the trades, you can be a little
bit selective with the companies that you work for, isn't
that correct?
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Well, yeah, so our our apprenticeships and our union contractors,
you know, we have signatory union contractors, and so they
had they'll call in and ask for people to come
to work for them, and yeah, there's there's some flexibility
there to to get jobs that you're interested in based
on your skill sets, based on the needs of that project.
So depending on what your skills are and what a
(18:39):
contractor's looking for, you've got great opportunities to do different
things in the trades.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Okay, perfect.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Justin Williams is the director of the Affiliated Construction Trades.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Really do appreciate your time here today, Justin, thank you.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Hey, thanks, thanks, Make.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Absolutely take care of yourself.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Justin Williams, the director of the Affiliated Construction Trades in state.
Right now, clouds and sixty three degrees in the University
City Morgantown City Council. They'll meet Committee of the Whole
this evening at seven o'clock in City Council Chambers on
Spruce Street. Of course, those meetings are also available via
(19:19):
the city's YouTube page. And it looks like the debate
for aligning elections with the statewide May primary looks like
that debate is over now that the legislature has spoken
with Senate Bill fifty. Morgantown City councilors are going to
come forth with a plan in order to have their
(19:40):
elections aligned by twenty thirty two. They'll take that up
this evening. Later this morning, I've got some notes on
that that I'll share with you as well.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Now back to the talk of the town.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
We'll good Tuesday morning, clouds and sixty three degrees in
the University City Morgantown. City Council Committee of the Whole
Day will gavel in at seven o'clock tonight at City
Council Chambers.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
On Spruce Street.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
And now, of course those meetings are available via the
city's YouTube page. Councilors are set to get some presentations
this evening. They'll get a preview of the Ruby Summer
concert series coming up. Also here from get an update
on the Housing Advisory Commission. They will receive presentations from
(20:41):
Monpower and also Grace Shelter. Doctor Jessica Thompson, the director
of Grace Shelter, will provide them with an update and
the items for discussion include amending Article seventeen fifty one
now that is entitled the Housing Code of the City,
(21:01):
and just a cursory review of some of those proposed changes.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
They include tightening up some of.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
The conditions as it relates to contacting landlords in the
event of an emergency or possibly a warrant service at
an apartment or maybe even a fire. There are in
state residency requirements in these adjustments to the Article seventeen
fifty one. Also included in there are some minimum response
(21:34):
times that are going to be asked of landlords or
the representatives of landlords.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
The other thing that city councilors will discuss this evening
is moving the elections to the May primary date.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
In the materials for the city council meeting for tonight,
city councilors, their proposal says that the elections held in
April of twenty twenty seven, they'll elect members of council
three year terms. Those terms will begin July first of
twenty twenty seven, and in June thirtieth of twenty thirty.
(22:18):
The elections will be held in twenty twenty nine. They'll
elect members of council to three year terms beginning July
one of twenty nine and ending on June thirtieth, twenty
thirty two. Okay, Now, beginning in May of twenty thirty,
all elections will be held on the date of the
(22:39):
statewide May primary election in each even numbered year now,
subject to an agreement with the County Clerk, administered by
the County Clerk. Expect as otherwise specified by the city Charter,
the members will be elected to staggered four year terms,
(23:02):
with members from wards one, three, five, and seven elected
in twenty thirty and each four years thereafter, and members
from wards two, four and six will be elected in
twenty thirty two and each four years thereafter as well.
So it brings up I guess a lot of fair questions,
(23:22):
and I think one of those fair questions is what
does this do to what elections look like in the
City of Morgantown. Do they become more expensive? Maybe, do
they draw a different set of people who are interested
in serving the city. I think those are all fair
questions that in the coming days and weeks we're going
(23:45):
to figure out very quickly. And of course that journey
will begin this evening with the Committee of the Whole
meeting tonight at seven o'clock City Council Chambers. Of course
you'll be able to watch that via you to taking
a look at the radar, it's like that rain is
progressing across the state in Morgantown. Looks like we'll be
(24:07):
seeing some showers within the hour. It's just about nine forty.
When we come back, we were going to talk to
former Adjutant General the West Virginia National Guard, General Bill Crane.
We're gonna be talking about rare earth elements. It's coming
up next, clouds rain approaching sixty three degrees in the
(24:28):
University City. We'll be right back after this on AM
fourteen forty FM one oh four point five WAJR.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
talk of the town.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Well, good Tuesday morning.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
You know, it really doesn't matter if it's your cell phone,
maybe a computer may maybe it is your Tesla vehicle
or another electric car. It takes a rare earth element
to make it go. And rare earth elements have become
quite the talk in recent years, and of course you've
heard our conversations here with doctor Paul Zimkowitz, the director
(25:15):
of Water Research at West Virginia University, and their efforts
to sequester some of these rare earth elements in mine
acid mind drainage, excuse me, acid mind drainage in order
for those minerals to be extracted at a later date
and then to be used. Well recently Major General Bill Krane,
(25:36):
former Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard. He
was a guest of the National Battery Coalition in Washington,
d C. Talking about the importance of rare earth minerals.
And we have General Crane on the program. Well, good morning,
how are you?
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Good morning, I'm doing well. How about yourself?
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Hey, I'm doing good, sir. And before we get started,
like the thank you for your surf furface.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Well, I appreciate that. I've certainly had a great team
behind me for my four years as being the age
of General, and I really appreciated all that they did
to help me be successful, which helps of course the
state be successful.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Okay, Now, General, rare earth elements is certainly a hot
topic of conversation here in recent years, and it looks
like there are finally maybe some movements that are being
made in order to secure domestic supplies. But I guess
tell us what you told the panel last week?
Speaker 5 (26:38):
Well, I told them, you know, we have to control
our supply chains. And you know, I talked about my
experience during COVID and how challenging it was for us
to get masks and gloves and gowns because all of
that stuff was being you know, the bulk of it
was being manufactured in China, and you know, like any
(26:58):
country would probably do, they wanted to take care of
their own citizens first. And it just showed me that
we definitely need to make sure that for those things
that are of a national security interest, we have to
make sure that we control the supply chain, the production
and the manufacturing of the products that we need that
(27:22):
we reliable for national security.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
You know, general to understand rare earth elements is almost
like understanding a foreign language because they do so many
things that are really kind of difficult for some of.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Us to grasp. But I guess my question is what kind.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Of a timeline are we on to begin to see
some real results.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Well, I think it's with the Reliable Battery Coalition, and
you know, they're certainly bipartisan efforts going on to ensure
that we have the funding uh to have those elements available.
You know, we have some some small mining uh going
(28:08):
on in the United States that probably needs to be
ramped up. Uh. This is not uh, you know, one
side or the other. This is a bipartisan issue. I
think both sides of the isle understand the importance of
rare earth elements. Uh. You know, some of the companies
like uh uh Solanas or clarios Is UH is investing
(28:31):
dollars themselves to make sure they can recycle and uh,
you know, reuse some of the things that are in
the batteries themselves that have been spent and so that,
you know, it's just it's time to put the investment behind,
whether that's at the federal level, state level, in different corporations,
we've just got to put the investment forward to ensure
(28:51):
we have those rare earth and critical minerals UH to
continue to have the technology advantage that we've we've been
we've been having for for quite some time now.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
General Bill Crane is with us and General I don't know,
maybe this question isn't appropriate, but when you take a
look at say maybe an electric car or a telephone,
can you help us understand how much rare earth elements
it takes, uh for those two applications. I mean, is
(29:23):
it a shovel full for a car and a t
spoon for a phone.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Or or a Yeah, it's it's it's it's really miniscule amount,
but without it, things just won't work. You know. One
of the elements a car batteries, there's there's a small
amount of antimony in there, and without that antimony, those
batteries won't work. And that and that's in every every car,
(29:49):
whether it's you know it's an electric car or it's
a a regular combustion engine. To start your car and
to keep it running, you've got to have that energy going.
So you know, again it's it's very small amounts of this,
but when you look at the aggregate that the at
the large amounts required for every piece of equipment that's
(30:13):
out there over time that you know, as you build
that up, that's a lot of those elements that are required.
And the real issue that we have, and I think
that you know, we met with Senator Capito after the
meeting and she stepped out of her committee hearing for us,
which I'm very grateful for. And she's she's always been
(30:34):
very gracious and and done a lot of good stuff
for West Virginia. But you know, we we talked with
her for a minute. You know, everybody's understanding that eighty
percent of the production to make those rare earth elements
available and pure, pure enough to be used of that
happens in China. And so we've got to start investing
(30:57):
in being able to make those rare elements and critical
minerals more pure here in the States so that we
don't have to ship them overseas, and again having somebody
else control our supply lines. You know, it's just like
I said in my speech. You know, if we were
depending on Germany for our fuel and our oils back
(31:19):
in World War Two, that that would be a pretty
bad day for us. And that's kind of where we
are today when it comes to rare earth and critical minerals.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
So when you you brought up China, when you start
to talk about that relationship, it is at times tenuous,
sometimes contentious.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
But very rarely is it ever harmonious.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
So what do we do in the meantime do we
walk that tight rope with China while continuing to do business?
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Well? How do we do that?
Speaker 5 (31:50):
Well? I think it's again we're always going to be
competitive with one another. Both both countries are going to
look to do what's best, what they believe is best
for their population. And I think, uh, the current administration
has certainly seen that that We've got to bring you know,
(32:11):
we got to orange shore some things back to the
United States, Uh, and so those investments are being made
and uh so, I think in the meantime, what I
have seen is, you know, companies are stockpiling uh and
making sure that they can you know, manage to have
enough of what they need for some period of time.
(32:33):
But the investments are happening, and that's that's what's really great.
I mean Clarigos in particular, I met with one of
their vice presidents and you know, they are investing billions
of dollars to make sure that they can have the
recycling capabilities, which is another critical part of this. If
we can recycle and reuse, then we're not looking for
(32:54):
those new uh you know new digging up new stuff
and purifying it. Yes.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Now from the standpoint of the National Battery Coalition, what
I guess is are some of the stumbling blocks and
getting these initial investments from companies to invest in something
that is clearly in high demand.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
Well, I think I think number one, it's it's it's
a pricing issue. When when you have another country that
can manufacture these things at a fraction of the cost,
it becomes more challenging to to do those things here.
So when you look at the tear if the tariffs
that have come online. Uh, certainly that is that helps
(33:38):
that to be more profitable to get into that to
that business. So that that's one area for sure. And
then you start looking at mining and getting the permitting,
you know, being able to start to mine uh these
critical minerals that we need again, Uh, that PROSS has
(34:00):
got to speed up, you know, things are things are
happening in the world much faster than they ever have,
as you know and as everybody knows. And so if
we're not competitive in getting the permitting and getting be
able to do the extraction that we need to be
to be doing, then we're just years behind because you
don't have the same issue going on around the world.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Have you been able to see or are you familiar
with the operation at wv U.
Speaker 5 (34:29):
Uh so yes, we we've talked, uh and and I
know of the water where they're they're taking the water
and pulling some of these rare earths out. So yeah,
I have been in discussions in particular with with General
Hoyer and what he's been doing there as a retired
right before when I took over, and so yeah, I'm
(34:51):
aware of that. I'm also aware h and many of
our listeners may not be aware, but the coal ash
after after the coal is burnt to produce energy in
the Appalachia region, that coal ash actually contains a lot
of rare earth elements as well. So that's another opportunity
for the state of West Virginia and and the whole
(35:13):
Appalachia region, UH, to have an opportunity to do some
production of rare earth elements out of the coal ash.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
When you look at the problem, you look at our
possible solutions, are you encouraged?
Speaker 5 (35:28):
I am. I think you know. That's the one thing
I can say about you know, the United States and
in particular West Virginia's we're very innovative. We're very creative.
We come up with solutions when there's a problem. Uh,
just just like the wor in COVID. We didn't sit
around and you know, complain and wait for somebody you
tell us how to do things. We just we just
dig into the problem. We look for a solution, and
(35:49):
that's what we go after. And so I'm confident that
over time, uh, we're gonna come up with all the
different solutions we need. We're going to figure out new
ways to do battery to technology that doesn't require the
same levels of these rare earth and critical minerals.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Major General Bill Crane, Bill, thank you very much for
your time today. Really do appreciate it, and thank you
for your service.
Speaker 5 (36:14):
Thank you you take care
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Absolutely, sir, you too,
This is the Talk of the Town from Morgantown to Klucksburg.
If it's happening, we're talking about it. Call the show
toll free at one eight hundred and seven sixty five
eight two fivey five. Now Here is your host for
the Talk of the Town, Mike Notlting.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
A good Wednesday morning, right now, clouds and sixty three
degrees in the University City. This is Talk of the Town,
your program highlighting the things that are important to you
and your family. I'm Mike Notlting. You'll find me out
on x as your news guy. And we also have
(00:59):
a text line with to hear from you throughout the
course of the program. That number is three zero four
Talk three zero four. Mia Hankins is conducting our production
duties today. That telephone number into the production room is
eight hundred and seven six five eight two five five.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Justin Williams is the director of the Affiliated Construction Trades
at the West Virginia Building in Construction Trades Organization. Now,
thousands of students just got their diplomas and mapping out
their future. Now here's just something to think about. From
the time that you got up this morning, you went
to work fixed some breakfast, so on and so forth,
(01:44):
took a shower, drove to work, You'll go home and
basically do the same thing. Well, that entire journey is
affected by electricians, plumbers, pipe fitters, iron workers, miners, operators, labors. Now,
those trades all provide family sustaining way, ages and careers
with benefits and retirement. Now we're going to talk to
(02:04):
Justin about the opportunities that are available to young people
just getting out of high school and how they can
leverage their skills and get involved. At nine point forty,
we've got former Adjutant General of the State of West Virginia,
Bill Crane. We're going to be speaking with Bill Crane
about his recent testimony in Washington, d c. Relating to
(02:28):
rare earth in minerals. That text line number again is
eight three four talk three four.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Now.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Breaking, just as we went on the air, Jeff Jenkins
from the newsroom in Charleston broke that a woman has
been fatally shot at a sheets gas station on mccorcyle
Avenue in Kanas City overnight. And now this certainly isn't
anything that will affect us locally, but this is a
great opportunity to high like the fact that number one,
(03:02):
you've got a guy getting gas. It's and it says,
quote the police say he was messing with a gun
in his truck when it accidentally discharged and struck a
woman near by. Now that woman is dead, and it
leads me to think, have just a greater conversation about guns,
(03:24):
because you know what, you don't keep a ballpeen hammer
or a sALS all on your end table at home,
do you know? It's a It's a specialized tool, just
like a firearm is, just like a weapon is. And
they're meant to be respected, and they're meant to be
used in proper instances, under proper circumstances. And of course,
(03:48):
if you're not going to smoke a cigarette when you're
getting gas, why in the world would you get a
gun out and mess with it? And then secondly, why
would you do that just after midnight? Circumstances certainly seemed
to be rather suspicious, and that investigation is ongoing. That
just broke as we came on the air here. Of course,
(04:10):
one of the stories here today is the fact that
we've got rain coming in today. It's likely going to
be with us through tomorrow and into tomorrow night. Looking
at Metro News Aki where the radar and that certainly
looks to be coming too fru u. There is a
rain now approaching across Harrison County into Marion County and
(04:34):
soon to hit Mon County later this morning. A Metro
News Aki weather meteorologist Andrew Kendall told me just about
about fourteen hours ago that that rain would start mid
to late morning and intensified this afternoon, maybe a shower
or thunderstorm, maybe a little break in the overnight, but
(04:55):
then it returns Wednesday to hang around throughout the Wednesday.
Kemball says, a half to an inch through this system.
When we come back, we're going to welcome Justin Williams
to the program, and we're going to be talking about
seats that are available for high school seniors and who knows,
(05:16):
maybe for people that are looking to nine eleven clouds
in the University City and sixty three degrees. Will be
back to get things started right after this.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Join the conversation at one eight hundred and seven sixty
five eight two fivey five. This is the talk of
the town.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Good Tuesday morning.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
It is nine to fifteen clouds and sixty three degrees
in the University city. The director of the Affiliated con
Instruction Trades in West Virginia is Justin Williams.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Good morning, Justin.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
How are you today, Good morning, Mike, I'm good. Thanks
for having me.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Absolutely, it's a pleasure to have you on. Justin.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Now, let's see, in the last few weeks, thousands of
seniors within the state of West Virginia have received their diplomas.
They're mapping out the next steps for their lives. And
it got me to thinking about, you know, just about
everything you do during the day is affected by one
of the critical trades that you represent.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
That's right, that's right. You know we represent fourteen different
trades organizations and it really does impact you know, whether
you go to work in a building, a facility, you know,
an energy generation facility, a school, or a factory. You know,
it was built by somebody within the trades. You know,
(06:55):
the roads we drive on, the we cross that's built
by you know, the skilled trades. And so it really
does everything we do starts with construction and the members
that I represent, and so you know, it's everything. It's
brick layers and carpenters, electricians, the masons, operators, type bitters, plumbers, painters, roofers,
(07:16):
sheet metal h backworkers. So it's everything that most of
us take for granted on a daily basis, certainly.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
And you know, justin one of the biggest enticements that
one could have to join a field of service or
a career is the pay and benefits. What can you
tell us about paying benefits within the trades?
Speaker 4 (07:36):
So or so in the trades, it's a great career
opportunity ahead of people when you join the trades. You know,
you start out as an apprentice in the union trades,
and you start off with a good wage, but you
also start with a pension and benefits, health insurance and
so you know, we did a study last year and
the economic impact study for the state and our average
(07:58):
wage across the fourteen trades, it's about thirty five dollars
an hour before deductions, you know, which a couple of
dollars come out for here and there and then another
you know, twenty dollars worth of benefits or so, so
you're talking, you know, in the neighborhood of fifty dollars
an hour for wages and benefits for somebody coming out
when they're a full time journey worker after completing their apprenticeship.
(08:19):
And you know, our apprenticeship programs range from from two
years to four years, you know, just depending on the
trade that you're in, and you know the on the
job training that you'll get while you're doing that training,
both in the classroom and on the job.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I think that's a really important thing to focus on here,
is that the training here is provided and in some cases,
as you just said, it's on the job training, meaning
you get paid for it. That's right.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Our our you know, our apprenticeship programs, you know, you
kind of come in when you when you join an
apprenticeship program, you apply. You know, they have interview processes
and we want the best of the best, drug free,
hard working jobs. But you get paid well for this
hard work and it's really appreciated. And then you know,
it's really something to hang your hat on because you
(09:08):
can see what you've done. But it really is training.
That is, it's college level training for the trades. And
so start an apprenticeship, you get six your safety, you know,
making sure you know all the safety regulations and that
when you go to work that you're going to be
safe and that you'll be able to return home every evening,
and so you know that is and then you go
(09:29):
out and you work with experienced workers and they show
you the nuts and bolts of the day to day
job and you learn from them and their experience, and
then you can come back in as a you know,
apprentice or a journey worker and continue to get new skills,
whether it's you know something you've never done, you know
different types of brick or block, or different types of welding,
(09:50):
different pieces of equipment that you want to run. You
can always kind of hone your skill and improve and
give yourself more opportunities to go to work.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Direct or of the Affiliated Construction Trades in West virginia's
Justin Williams, and he's with us right now. And you know,
Justin some of those trades are seasonal. You said that
they do pay well, and I've known people over the
years that have taken some of those seasonal jobs gladly
because it allows them maybe a little more flexibility during
(10:22):
the winters than they would normally have. Or you can
choose if you're in the if you're in construction trades,
you can always then move into building construction in the
winter time.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
But you do have choices don't you.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
That's right. It's the skills you learn within the trades
is a great opportunity, you know, not only to you know,
work outside, work with your hands, but yeah, you know,
if you're a painter, maybe you paint the outside of
a building during the summer, then you're painting the inside
during the winter months. You know, it also gives you
the opportunity to travel. These skills are very transferable, right,
so if you're working on a bil, be here and
(11:00):
then you know, if there's a big project where they
need workers, you know in Georgia, you know we'll do that.
I know workers right now in West Virginia. Columbus has
a huge construction boom going on with some of the
chips plants, and so there have been people that have
kind of taken that opportunity to go there. Just across
the border, you know, not too long ago, there was
(11:21):
an announcement of a new natural gas powerhouse is going
to be built on that old site in Pennsylvania. My
assumption is that there'll be from West Virginia workers that
go work on that because it's a big opportunity. They
need a lot of trades workers, and so, you know
the need and the demand is as high now as
it's ever been. And the trades are a great career
(11:43):
opportunity for somebody, you know, coming out of high school.
But also, as you mentioned, you know in the Into
your Life segment that people who want to make a
change in their career, there's a great opportunity for people
who want to work hard and show up to go
into something new and make a career. The studies say that,
you know, over the next fifteen years, a great number
(12:06):
of trades members are going to be retirement eligible. I'm
not going to say they're all going to retire, but
retirement eligible. And so we need to fill those positions
and start training this next generation of workers to fill
those jobs because without them, as we mentioned, you know,
we won't have power, we won't have buildings to go to,
grocery stores, electric, you know, whatever the case may be.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So you know, justin you mentioned chips plants in the Columbus,
Ohio area of natural gas building over in Pennsylvania, and
you know what, when I look around, of course, you know,
my focus is a little bit more local than yours.
But when I look around, I see the new bridge
(12:49):
from over the Montagelia mononga Hala River into the Morgantown
Industrial Park that's valued at about fifty sixty million dollars.
You've got widening work on I seventy nine and bridge
work from the Pennsylvania state line all the way down
to Harrison County. You've got a new twenty million dollar
(13:10):
fitness complex. It's going to be built on the campus
of Glenville State University. We know that cranes are always
in the era at the WVU campus, and there are
additional improvements really all over the area. So I guess
talk about future demand a little bit.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Yeah, that's y're one hundred percent right. I mean, the
growth of the roadwork has been from Charleston to Morgantown
and Charleston to Huntington. If you've driven either of those roads,
you've experienced construction and even up into the northern painting
wheeling and the bridges up in Hancock County. But you know,
the hospitals across the state are really growing. Wu Vandelia
(13:52):
Mond General that that organization. You know, there's investments into
the healthcare industry like we've never seen before. You know,
we worked on the children's hospital in the recent years.
Plus what athletics is doing right, you see it with
WU Athletics, uh, the baseball fields and all the projects
going on around there. So it's i mean, there's a
(14:14):
lot of opportunities, you know. And then the other big
thing is just energy, right, So data centers have been
the talk right all the way through legislative session and
across the country. What are we going to do with
data centers? Not only building those data centers, but the
energy that they take to run them. And so you know,
that's a huge opportunity in West Virginia up in just
(14:35):
a little bit north of you and at the form
Energy factory right there, getting ready to release their first
shipment of batteries out in July. And so they've completed
that project and they're getting ready to start phase two
of that project. And so that's work, you know. So
there's a lot of work in the natural gas industry still.
There's you know, talks of natural gas powerhouses in the
(14:55):
in the area, and so you know, there's a great
career ahead were for everybody in the trades, and it's
you know, they're interested, you know, they can always check
out our website. It's West Virginia Trades dot org. And
that has links to all the apprenticeships or information to
get in contact with me or any of our trades.
And you know, we're happy to connect people up where
(15:16):
we can.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
You know, I just go by my experience and knowledge
and knowing that a lot of these trades, they're generational.
You've got fathers and sons that follow in their footsteps
and continue the trades.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
But where do you find your workers? Do you recruit
or do.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
You wait for them to come in to you and say, hey,
I'm ready to go.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
No, it's it's definitely recruitment, you know. So you're right,
there is a lot of familial groups that come in
and we're seeing that still, but you see it cross
trades and you see people that have worked in different
trades that come into the trades as well. So maybe
they were maybe they're you know, father was a coal miner,
maybe they were a truck drive or now they do
(16:00):
a different type of trade. But we're also recruiting, you know,
more people to do it because the trades of today
is different than it ever had been. Just like manufacturing,
as you know, there's more technology, right there's using drones
and GPS dozers and so you know, we're recruiting, you know,
people that want to work with their hands and do
a different job. But it can be you know, people
(16:22):
that are interested in engineering, people that are interested in
architecture and that want to actually see the fruition of
those plans being built. And we're working through that with
some other projects. You know. Just recently the legislature passed
a program where when you complete an apprenticeship, you can
work through and potentially get an associate's degree. So it's
(16:43):
really trying to ramp up that recruitment saying, hey, yes
you want to get a degree, Well here's your path.
You can go to an apprenticeship, start earning while you're learning,
and then get an associates stree when you complete it,
and if you need want to, you can continue that
on to a four year or postgrap to a degree
as well. And so you know, it really is recruitment.
We're out there at job bears and career fairs. We
(17:06):
work with helmets to hard hats, which recruits veterans when
they return from their service to join the trades.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Maybe justin if you're up here in the Morgantown, Bridgeport,
Clarksburg Fairmount area kicking around, where would I go in
this area of the state to get more information, maybe
talk to somebody.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Sure, So there's different union halls throughout the area. That's
you know, down in Weston, the painters have a big
training facility. Ib W Operating engineers have Clarksburg offices. The
pipe fitters have an office in Morgantown, the carpenters have
some in in Clarksburg. So they're they're everywhere. And then
obviously if if you're kind of depending on where you're
(17:48):
at and what trades you're interested in, you know, we've
got locations different different locations all around the state, and
so you know, our our website West Virginia Trades dot
org is the really going to be the catch off
for all of the information that somebody's looking for.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Okay, and then the last thing I got for you
justin we've got about a minute left. When you take
these jobs with the trades, you can be a little
bit selective with the companies that you work for, isn't
that correct?
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Well, yeah, so our our apprenticeships and our union contractors,
you know, we have signatory union contractors, and so they
had they'll call in and ask for people to come
to work for them, and yeah, there's there's some flexibility
there to to get jobs that you're interested in based
on your skill sets, based on the needs of that project.
So depending on what your skills are and what a
(18:39):
contractor's looking for, you've got great opportunities to do different
things in the trades.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Okay, perfect.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Justin Williams is the director of the Affiliated Construction Trades.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Really do appreciate your time here today, Justin, thank you.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Hey, thanks, thanks, Make.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
Absolutely take care of yourself.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Justin Williams, the director of the Affiliated Construction Trades in state.
Right now, clouds and sixty three degrees in the University
City Morgantown City Council. They'll meet Committee of the Whole
this evening at seven o'clock in City Council Chambers on
Spruce Street. Of course, those meetings are also available via
(19:19):
the city's YouTube page. And it looks like the debate
for aligning elections with the statewide May primary looks like
that debate is over now that the legislature has spoken
with Senate Bill fifty. Morgantown City councilors are going to
come forth with a plan in order to have their
(19:40):
elections aligned by twenty thirty two. They'll take that up
this evening. Later this morning, I've got some notes on
that that I'll share with you as well.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Now back to the talk of the town.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
We'll good Tuesday morning, clouds and sixty three degrees in
the University City Morgantown. City Council Committee of the Whole
Day will gavel in at seven o'clock tonight at City
Council Chambers.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
On Spruce Street.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
And now, of course those meetings are available via the
city's YouTube page. Councilors are set to get some presentations
this evening. They'll get a preview of the Ruby Summer
concert series coming up. Also here from get an update
on the Housing Advisory Commission. They will receive presentations from
(20:41):
Monpower and also Grace Shelter. Doctor Jessica Thompson, the director
of Grace Shelter, will provide them with an update and
the items for discussion include amending Article seventeen fifty one
now that is entitled the Housing Code of the City,
(21:01):
and just a cursory review of some of those proposed changes.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
They include tightening up some of.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
The conditions as it relates to contacting landlords in the
event of an emergency or possibly a warrant service at
an apartment or maybe even a fire. There are in
state residency requirements in these adjustments to the Article seventeen
fifty one. Also included in there are some minimum response
(21:34):
times that are going to be asked of landlords or
the representatives of landlords.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
The other thing that city councilors will discuss this evening
is moving the elections to the May primary date.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
In the materials for the city council meeting for tonight,
city councilors, their proposal says that the elections held in
April of twenty twenty seven, they'll elect members of council
three year terms. Those terms will begin July first of
twenty twenty seven, and in June thirtieth of twenty thirty.
(22:18):
The elections will be held in twenty twenty nine. They'll
elect members of council to three year terms beginning July
one of twenty nine and ending on June thirtieth, twenty
thirty two. Okay, Now, beginning in May of twenty thirty,
all elections will be held on the date of the
(22:39):
statewide May primary election in each even numbered year now,
subject to an agreement with the County Clerk, administered by
the County Clerk. Expect as otherwise specified by the city Charter,
the members will be elected to staggered four year terms,
(23:02):
with members from wards one, three, five, and seven elected
in twenty thirty and each four years thereafter, and members
from wards two, four and six will be elected in
twenty thirty two and each four years thereafter as well.
So it brings up I guess a lot of fair questions,
(23:22):
and I think one of those fair questions is what
does this do to what elections look like in the
City of Morgantown. Do they become more expensive? Maybe, do
they draw a different set of people who are interested
in serving the city. I think those are all fair
questions that in the coming days and weeks we're going
(23:45):
to figure out very quickly. And of course that journey
will begin this evening with the Committee of the Whole
meeting tonight at seven o'clock City Council Chambers. Of course
you'll be able to watch that via you to taking
a look at the radar, it's like that rain is
progressing across the state in Morgantown. Looks like we'll be
(24:07):
seeing some showers within the hour. It's just about nine forty.
When we come back, we were going to talk to
former Adjutant General the West Virginia National Guard, General Bill Crane.
We're gonna be talking about rare earth elements. It's coming
up next, clouds rain approaching sixty three degrees in the
(24:28):
University City. We'll be right back after this on AM
fourteen forty FM one oh four point five WAJR.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
We are talking about your town. Now back to the
talk of the town.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Well, good Tuesday morning.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
You know, it really doesn't matter if it's your cell phone,
maybe a computer may maybe it is your Tesla vehicle
or another electric car. It takes a rare earth element
to make it go. And rare earth elements have become
quite the talk in recent years, and of course you've
heard our conversations here with doctor Paul Zimkowitz, the director
(25:15):
of Water Research at West Virginia University, and their efforts
to sequester some of these rare earth elements in mine
acid mind drainage, excuse me, acid mind drainage in order
for those minerals to be extracted at a later date
and then to be used. Well recently Major General Bill Krane,
(25:36):
former Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard. He
was a guest of the National Battery Coalition in Washington,
d C. Talking about the importance of rare earth minerals.
And we have General Crane on the program. Well, good morning,
how are you?
Speaker 5 (25:54):
Good morning, I'm doing well. How about yourself?
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Hey, I'm doing good, sir. And before we get started,
like the thank you for your surf furface.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Well, I appreciate that. I've certainly had a great team
behind me for my four years as being the age
of General, and I really appreciated all that they did
to help me be successful, which helps of course the
state be successful.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Okay, Now, General, rare earth elements is certainly a hot
topic of conversation here in recent years, and it looks
like there are finally maybe some movements that are being
made in order to secure domestic supplies. But I guess
tell us what you told the panel last week?
Speaker 5 (26:38):
Well, I told them, you know, we have to control
our supply chains. And you know, I talked about my
experience during COVID and how challenging it was for us
to get masks and gloves and gowns because all of
that stuff was being you know, the bulk of it
was being manufactured in China, and you know, like any
(26:58):
country would probably do, they wanted to take care of
their own citizens first. And it just showed me that
we definitely need to make sure that for those things
that are of a national security interest, we have to
make sure that we control the supply chain, the production
and the manufacturing of the products that we need that
(27:22):
we reliable for national security.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
You know, general to understand rare earth elements is almost
like understanding a foreign language because they do so many
things that are really kind of difficult for some of.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Us to grasp. But I guess my question is what kind.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Of a timeline are we on to begin to see
some real results.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Well, I think it's with the Reliable Battery Coalition, and
you know, they're certainly bipartisan efforts going on to ensure
that we have the funding uh to have those elements available.
You know, we have some some small mining uh going
(28:08):
on in the United States that probably needs to be
ramped up. Uh. This is not uh, you know, one
side or the other. This is a bipartisan issue. I
think both sides of the isle understand the importance of
rare earth elements. Uh. You know, some of the companies
like uh uh Solanas or clarios Is UH is investing
(28:31):
dollars themselves to make sure they can recycle and uh,
you know, reuse some of the things that are in
the batteries themselves that have been spent and so that,
you know, it's just it's time to put the investment behind,
whether that's at the federal level, state level, in different corporations,
we've just got to put the investment forward to ensure
(28:51):
we have those rare earth and critical minerals UH to
continue to have the technology advantage that we've we've been
we've been having for for quite some time now.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
General Bill Crane is with us and General I don't know,
maybe this question isn't appropriate, but when you take a
look at say maybe an electric car or a telephone,
can you help us understand how much rare earth elements
it takes, uh for those two applications. I mean, is
(29:23):
it a shovel full for a car and a t
spoon for a phone.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Or or a Yeah, it's it's it's it's really miniscule amount,
but without it, things just won't work. You know. One
of the elements a car batteries, there's there's a small
amount of antimony in there, and without that antimony, those
batteries won't work. And that and that's in every every car,
(29:49):
whether it's you know it's an electric car or it's
a a regular combustion engine. To start your car and
to keep it running, you've got to have that energy going.
So you know, again it's it's very small amounts of this,
but when you look at the aggregate that the at
the large amounts required for every piece of equipment that's
(30:13):
out there over time that you know, as you build
that up, that's a lot of those elements that are required.
And the real issue that we have, and I think
that you know, we met with Senator Capito after the
meeting and she stepped out of her committee hearing for us,
which I'm very grateful for. And she's she's always been
(30:34):
very gracious and and done a lot of good stuff
for West Virginia. But you know, we we talked with
her for a minute. You know, everybody's understanding that eighty
percent of the production to make those rare earth elements
available and pure, pure enough to be used of that
happens in China. And so we've got to start investing
(30:57):
in being able to make those rare elements and critical
minerals more pure here in the States so that we
don't have to ship them overseas, and again having somebody
else control our supply lines. You know, it's just like
I said in my speech. You know, if we were
depending on Germany for our fuel and our oils back
(31:19):
in World War Two, that that would be a pretty
bad day for us. And that's kind of where we
are today when it comes to rare earth and critical minerals.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
So when you you brought up China, when you start
to talk about that relationship, it is at times tenuous,
sometimes contentious.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
But very rarely is it ever harmonious.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
So what do we do in the meantime do we
walk that tight rope with China while continuing to do business?
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Well? How do we do that?
Speaker 5 (31:50):
Well? I think it's again we're always going to be
competitive with one another. Both both countries are going to
look to do what's best, what they believe is best
for their population. And I think, uh, the current administration
has certainly seen that that We've got to bring you know,
(32:11):
we got to orange shore some things back to the
United States, Uh, and so those investments are being made
and uh so, I think in the meantime, what I
have seen is, you know, companies are stockpiling uh and
making sure that they can you know, manage to have
enough of what they need for some period of time.
(32:33):
But the investments are happening, and that's that's what's really great.
I mean Clarigos in particular, I met with one of
their vice presidents and you know, they are investing billions
of dollars to make sure that they can have the
recycling capabilities, which is another critical part of this. If
we can recycle and reuse, then we're not looking for
(32:54):
those new uh you know new digging up new stuff
and purifying it. Yes.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Now from the standpoint of the National Battery Coalition, what
I guess is are some of the stumbling blocks and
getting these initial investments from companies to invest in something
that is clearly in high demand.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
Well, I think I think number one, it's it's it's
a pricing issue. When when you have another country that
can manufacture these things at a fraction of the cost,
it becomes more challenging to to do those things here.
So when you look at the tear if the tariffs
that have come online. Uh, certainly that is that helps
(33:38):
that to be more profitable to get into that to
that business. So that that's one area for sure. And
then you start looking at mining and getting the permitting,
you know, being able to start to mine uh these
critical minerals that we need again, Uh, that PROSS has
(34:00):
got to speed up, you know, things are things are
happening in the world much faster than they ever have,
as you know and as everybody knows. And so if
we're not competitive in getting the permitting and getting be
able to do the extraction that we need to be
to be doing, then we're just years behind because you
don't have the same issue going on around the world.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Have you been able to see or are you familiar
with the operation at wv U.
Speaker 5 (34:29):
Uh so yes, we we've talked, uh and and I
know of the water where they're they're taking the water
and pulling some of these rare earths out. So yeah,
I have been in discussions in particular with with General
Hoyer and what he's been doing there as a retired
right before when I took over, and so yeah, I'm
(34:51):
aware of that. I'm also aware h and many of
our listeners may not be aware, but the coal ash
after after the coal is burnt to produce energy in
the Appalachia region, that coal ash actually contains a lot
of rare earth elements as well. So that's another opportunity
for the state of West Virginia and and the whole
(35:13):
Appalachia region, UH, to have an opportunity to do some
production of rare earth elements out of the coal ash.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
When you look at the problem, you look at our
possible solutions, are you encouraged?
Speaker 5 (35:28):
I am. I think you know. That's the one thing
I can say about you know, the United States and
in particular West Virginia's we're very innovative. We're very creative.
We come up with solutions when there's a problem. Uh,
just just like the wor in COVID. We didn't sit
around and you know, complain and wait for somebody you
tell us how to do things. We just we just
dig into the problem. We look for a solution, and
(35:49):
that's what we go after. And so I'm confident that
over time, uh, we're gonna come up with all the
different solutions we need. We're going to figure out new
ways to do battery to technology that doesn't require the
same levels of these rare earth and critical minerals.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Major General Bill Crane, Bill, thank you very much for
your time today. Really do appreciate it, and thank you
for your service.
Speaker 5 (36:14):
Thank you you take care
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Absolutely, sir, you too,
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