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HB 4008

Relating to Business Ready Sites Program

2026 Regular Session Introduced by J.B. Akers and 10 co-sponsors

HB 4008 creates a funded program to identify, certify, and prepare industrial-ready sites and allows utilities to recover infrastructure costs through PSC-approved mechanisms.

Chapter 114, Acts, Regular Session, 2026
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Bill Summary · HB 4008

Overview

Bill HB 4008 (2026, West Virginia) establishes and expands the West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program within the state’s economic development framework. The measure creates a formal process to identify, certify, and help prepare industrial sites for development by funding infrastructure readiness improvements and by coordinating with utilities and other partners. It also codifies a dedicated fund to support these efforts and sets out how utilities may recover certain infrastructure costs through the Public Service Commission (PSC) oversight.

Main purpose and intent

  • Promote economic development by increasing the availability of construction-ready industrial sites with adequately developed utility infrastructure.
  • Incentivize public utilities to invest in infrastructure at certified sites and enable cost recovery through a structured PSC process.
  • Provide state, local, and regional entities with a mechanism to identify potential industrial development sites and secure readiness improvements.

Key provisions and changes

  • Creation of the Certified Sites and Development Readiness Program within the Division of Economic Development (Chapter 5B).
    • Establishment of site evaluation criteria and certification levels based on developmental readiness.
    • An application process for governmental entities to nominate potential sites, including comprehensive site data (ownership, maps, uses, transportation access, utilities, environmental studies, plans, etc.).
    • The division selects sites for participation, evaluates readiness, certifies sites, and provides a prioritized list of recommended improvements. Sites may be re-evaluated and recertified as improvements are completed.
    • Authorization of funding assistance:
    • Grant matching program: up to 50% match for improvements to readiness, with a per-site cap determined by the division. Funds must be spent or returned within 12 months. Repaid funds remain in the program for reuse.
    • Micro grant program: per-site cap of up to $75,000 (general) with eligibility tiers by site size (5+ acres up to $100,000; sites over 20 acres up to $250,000). Some eligible sites may access funds from the broader Certified Sites and Development Readiness Fund with Department of Commerce approval.
  • Establishment of The Certified Sites and Development Readiness Fund (Chapter 24, §24-2-1n).
    • The fund collects appropriations, external funds, and interest earnings to support the program.
    • Balances roll over annually and may be invested; earnings support program purposes.
  • West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (PSC context):
    • Definitions for Industrial Development Site, Industrial Development Agency, and Utility.
    • Secretary of the Department of Commerce administers the program to promote infrastructure development that makes sites more attractive for industrial development.
    • Industrial development sites may be certified and utilities may propose multi-year infrastructure development plans to the PSC.
    • The PSC may approve cost-recovery mechanisms for the infrastructure plans, including:
    • Description of planned infrastructure, projected costs, timing, and projected customers and demand.
    • Proposed debt and capital structure, cost recovery mechanics, and other relevant information.
    • Public notice, hearing timelines (with a 90-day window to a hearing and a final order within 150 days in typical cases), and expedited recovery if findings support prudence and public interest.
    • Once approved, utilities may recover incremental costs via rates, with considerations for return on equity, debt costs, taxes, O&M, depreciation, and taxes, including protections for under- or over-recovery and regulatory assets/liabilities.
    • Provisions to defer certain regulatory and compliance costs to be recovered in future rate cases.
  • Effective date provisions: Sections become effective upon passage; eligible sites for program funding require Department of Commerce approval.

Who is affected

  • State and local government entities (state, county, municipal, or regional economic development bodies) that own or control potential industrial sites.
  • The Department of Economic Development (and its Division) and the Secretary of the Department of Commerce.
  • Public utilities regulated by the PSC that may participate in multi-year infrastructure plans and incremental cost recovery.
  • Prospective industrial developers seeking certified, ready-to-develop sites.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Applications and site certification followed by evaluation, certification, and potential recertification after improvements.
  • Grant and micro-grant funding cycles with 12-month expenditure/recoupment windows.
  • PSC process for infrastructure plans includes notice, a hearing typically within 90 days, and a final order within about 150 days, with expedited review possible.
  • Ongoing administration of the program funded by a dedicated Certified Sites and Development Readiness Fund, with balances carried over and invested as allowed.

Overall, HB 4008 creates a structured, funded pathway to identify, certify, and develop industrial-ready sites, while enabling utilities to recover associated infrastructure costs through PSC-approved mechanisms.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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