(a) Program established. — The Certified Industrial Business Expansion Development Program is hereby created and is to be administered as a program within the Department of Economic Development to encourage the continued development, construction, operation, maintenance, and expansion in West Virginia of high impact industrial plants and facilities, in certain circumstances where the availability of electricity generated from renewable sources is demonstrated to be necessary. In order to effectuate the purposes of this section, the Department of Economic Development or any agency, division, or subdivision thereof, may propose for promulgation of legislative rules, including emergency rules, in accordance with §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code.
(b) District certification.— The Secretary of the Department of Economic Development may identify and certify high impact industrial business development districts in this state upon a finding that the following requirements are met:
(1) Certification of the high impact industrial business development district and location of new or expanded businesses within the district will have a significant and positive economic impact on the state;