West Virginia

West Virginia is seeking a private partner to build a 3.3-mile segment of the Coalfields Expressway in the state's first P3 project under a 2013 law.

S&P lowered its underlying rating to A from A-plus on West Virginia University's bonds citing deteriorating financial ratios because of bond issuances in recent years.

A long-awaited report that recommends West Virginia issue $1.5 billion in bonds to fund transportation projects will be released in September.

Southeast municipal bond issuers sold $21.78 billion of debt in the first six months of the year, a 31.4% decline driven by fewer taxable and refunding deals.

Moody's downgraded Glenville State College, W.Va.'s rating to Ba2 from Baa3 citing its exposure to $25 million in bank debt and other fiscal stresses.

Rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency could have a material impact on the public sector, Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts said.

Southeast bond issuance last year dropped 11% to $56.7 billion as rising interest rates took refundings out of the running and new-money volume was nearly flat.

The developer of Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park Resort in Roanoke, W. Va., says plans for new lodging will help pay defaulted municipal bonds issued for the project.

State budgets seem to be "stabilizing and settling into a period of modest growth," but recovery from the Great Recession is still "a work in progress," a report from the National Conference of State Legislatures found.

Standard & Poor's placed a negative outlook on the West Virginia's school lottery revenue bonds due to increased gaming competition from neighboring states.

West Virginia's Blue Ribbon Commission on Highways recommended a $1 billion bond program to address a deficit in funds needed for transportation projects.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's blue ribbon commission on highways in West Virginia is considering a $1 billion transportation bond program.

Municipal bond issuance in the Southeast dropped nearly 12% to $30.7 billion in the first half of 2013. Sales were down in eight of the 11 states comprising the region.

Historically low interest rates last year helped boost bond sales across the Southeast to $63 billion, an increase of 33% over 2011. The surge in debt was propelled by refundings.

Moody's Investors Service placed tobacco settlement revenue bonds of issuers in 17 states and two territories under review with direction uncertain because of legal settlement announced in December. The action affects $20.5 billion of debt.

Mountain State University in West Virginia has redeemed its outstanding tax-exempt debt as the private nonprofit institution winds down its operations.

West Virginia voters kept Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, a Democrat, in office to serve a full four-year term.

The West Virginia Legislature is considering pension reform measures as a way of dealing with a $5.6 billion liability.

Local communities in eight states with a stake in the controversial mostly bond-financed Prairie State Energy coal project in Illinois could face fiscal stress due to the higher than projected rates they are paying and future financial risks, a new report from an pro-environmental group warns.

Municipal bond issuance in the Southeast during the first half of this year was up by 57% to $34 billion - nearly the same amount that was lost between 2011 and 2010.