This Science and Technology Note discusses the role of transportation in medical care coordination (MCC) for chronic conditions in West Virginia and identifies policy options to expand access to MCC in the state.

The electrical grid (power grid) is the combination of electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and control systems. Grid capacity refers to the ability of the electrical grid to reliably generate and deliver power to homes and businesses where and when it is needed. Generation capacity is the amount of electricity a utility is able to generate from coal, natural gas, or other sources.

Lithium (Li) is an element used in cell phones, pharmaceuticals, military technologies, electric vehicles and more, often in the form of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) classifies lithium as a critical mineral. A recent scientific paper published in the journal Nature found that it may be possible to extract significant amounts of lithium (up to 40% of US annual consumption) from Marcellus Shale gas production wastewater in Pennsylvania. These results could also apply to Marcellus wells in West Virginia. The Marcellus Shale is a geological formation beneath parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia (see figure). This Science and Technology Note considers potential challenges and benefits of pursuing lithium co-production with natural gas in West Virginia. 

Plastic waste is a growing problem for West Virginia and the world; global plastic waste is on track to triple by 2030. Plastics can take thousands of years to degrade, and release toxic chemicals that enter the water, soil and ultimately, the food supply (PDF). Conventional plastic recycling (mechanical recycling) shreds high-quality used plastics and reforms them into new plastic products. In part because only the highest quality plastics can be mechanically recycled, approximately 9% of plastic waste is recycled annually.

The electrical grid is the combination of electricity generation, transmission and control and distribution systems (see figure). Electrical power outages can cause significant disruptions to economic activity, state functions, and public health.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an umbrella term for technologies which complete “human-like” tasks. This Science and Technology Note considers opportunities and challenges associated with the potential economic impacts of AI on West Virginia’s economic development and workforce. Generative AI (gen-AI) is a newer class of AI algorithms that can generate highly non-trivial content (text, videos, images, computer code, etc.) in response to user requests. Advances in generative AI’s capabilities could contribute to significant economic development and disruption, both through specific organizational applications and enhanced labor productivity.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been used to make coatings that resist heat, oil, stains, and water since the 1940s. PFAS take hundreds of years to break down in the environment and can build up in the bodies of animals and humans, leading to concerns about potential health impacts. This Science and Technology Note discusses the known health risks of PFAS exposure, recent PFAS regulations in West Virginia, and policy options to address potential PFAS exposure in West Virginians.