This Science and Technology Policy Note provides an overview of West Virginia’s current regulatory sandboxes. A regulatory sandbox is a framework that allows companies to be exempted from specific regulations to test a new product that otherwise wouldn’t be allowed by law.

Tick-borne diseases, particularly Lyme disease, have been a problem of increasing magnitude in West Virginia over the past decade. This Science and Technology Note discusses the presence of the disease in West Virginia and potential actions that could be taken to lessen its impact.

Forest carbon programs allow landowners to receive payment for taking certain management actions to increase the carbon stored on their land. This Science and Technology Note provides an overview of forest carbon markets and discusses some options available to West Virginia families that choose to take part in them.

Geothermal energy is a type of renewable energy that is generated from the natural heat of the Earth’s interior. This heat can be harnessed to produce electricity and heat buildings. The process is both environmentally friendly and sustainable, as it relies on the Earth’s constant internal heat. This Science and Technology Note highlights the opportunities and challenges associated with harnessing geothermal energy from former coal mine lands in West Virginia.