Democratic West Virginia gubernatorial candidate says it’s time for the Mountain State’s people to ‘demand our fair share’

From Michael M. Barrick, Appalachian Chronicle, June 14, 2019.

Q: As governor, would you require the state agencies – such as the WV-DEP – that are responsible for the health, safety and emergency preparedness of West Virginia, employ the Precautionary Principle?

Smith: “Right now in West Virginia, the relationship between the people, land and the natural gas industry is completely broken. We fundamentally believe in the Precautionary Principle.” Seemingly conceding that he will, at the least, inherit a powerful lobby in the natural gas industry should he be elected, Smith explained, “If we are going to take wealth and resources out of the state, we must ensure that much more of that wealth stays here, and that whatever damage is done is remediated. Neither of those things are happening now. Adhering to the Precautionary Principle is in the interest of the people of the state.”

The Precautionary Principle Defined: The Precautionary Principle, according to the Science & Environmental Health Network, asserts, “When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. In this context the proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should bear the burden of proof.”

https://appalachianchronicle.com/2019/06/14/30-minutes-with-stephen-smith/