Fish And Wildlife Service Releases Report That Will Allow Rebuilding Of WV Schools | The Clarksburg Exponent Telegram

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released environmental review reports, which are necessary to begin the process of constructing replacement schools in Southern West Virginia.

According to a release from the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., the release of the reports is part of the environmental review process which needs to be completed before the construction can begin on the new structures.

The new buildings will be replacements for schools that needed to be rebuilt following the flooding that devastated the region in 2016. Completion of the review process will allow FEMA funding to be allocated for the construction.

Those schools being replaced are Clendenin Elementary and Herbert Hoover High School in Kanawha County and Richwood and Summersville High Schools in Nicholas County.

Manchin had been urging the timely release of the reports and praised the Fish and Wildlife Service for doing so.

“I’m glad the Fish and Wildlife Service finally released these reports, moving us one step closer to rebuilding these schools and getting our kids out of temporary classrooms," Manchin said. "Three years is far too long to have our students displaced and without a sense of community that their schools have provided in the past.

"In my meeting this week, I asked the Department of Interior to look at this process and act with urgency to get these assessments completed as soon as possible. I will continue to work with federal and state agencies, as well as the local officials and the Boards of Education to get the job done,” he added.

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