The industry that boasts that it keeps America's lights on is center stage at a rally before a public hearing in Charleston this evening.

Hundreds of coal miners and their supporters rally outside the Charleston Civic Center.

A pro-coal mining rally in the State Capital serves as a prequel to a public hearing convened by the federal Environmental Protection Agency inside the Charleston Civic Center Tuesday evening. The EPA seeks public comment to review the largest surface mining permit ever issued in West Virginia.

Hundreds of miners and coal industry supporters turned out Tuesday evening to speak against a high-stakes federal decision that could possibly end mining at one of the largest mountaintop sites permitted in West Virginia, the Spruce No. 1 mine in Logan County.

Some, including Jennings Webb of Richlands, Va., even traveled across state lines to show their support.

Webb, along with Juanita Ball, Esther Russell and Alford Russell made the trip to Charleston. "We came to West Virginia to back up our neighbors in coal," Webb said.

A lot is riding on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's decision on a water permit for the Spruce No. 1 mine including, quite possibly, the race for West Virginia's Third Congressional District. This was evident at Tuesday night's public hearing at the Charleston Civic Center on the possible veto as both Congressman Nick Rahall (D) and his GOP opponent Spike Maynard (R) made their presences known. Before the event began, the two attended the same Friends of Coal rally. Congressman Rahall was seated on the stage while Maynard was seated on the floor. However, the two wouldn't cross paths again that night at the hearing as Rahall was slated to speak at the beginning of the event and Maynard towards the end.

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