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The West Virginia Coal Association (WVCA) hereby submits the following comments and observations regarding the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to revoke the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to Mingo-Logan Coal Company for its Spruce No. 1 Mine (Spruce) in West Virginia.
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The EPA permitting halt will hit West Virginia and Kentucky especially hard.
From: The State Journal by Dan Page
The minority staff of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee produced a report last month that says in plain English what many people in Appalachia believe:
"Our investigation found that the Obama Administration is using the Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting process to dismantle the coal industry in the Appalachian region."
A government report cannot be clearer. It said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by bringing the issuing of Clean Water Act 404 permits to a virtual halt, is signing the death certificate for a significant portion of the Appalachian coal industry. Coal companies must have water quality permits to operate both surface and deep mines. The May 21 report said the agency is holding up 190 permits.
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EPA Agenda directed at States like West Virginia
WASHINGTON— Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) recently reacted to the U.S. Senate vote on the Murkowski Resolution. The Resolution of Disapproval was directed at EPA’s efforts to use agency regulation, rather than congressional legislation, to impose stringent restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions. The vote failed 47-53.
“Although this vote failed, it is an important first step to letting EPA know that they cannot unilaterally set an agenda without the buy-in of the American people. Members of Congress who represent coal areas must stand up and let EPA know that when making any decision they must take into account the real cost to families, their livelihoods, and plans for the future.
West Virginia is already feeling the burden of over regulation with no thought of our future. I have co-sponsored similar legislation introduced in the House that would ensure Congress is the sole authority on climate change policy—not unelected bureaucrats at the EPA. I am encouraged that my colleagues have joined my efforts to continue to make this country aware of the value of coal and its importance for energy security and economic growth.”
Congresswoman Capito recently created the Coal Caucus with 80 members of Congress to raise awareness of coal and its economic importance.
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Courtesy of: The Sunday Gazette Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Environmental Protection Agency is intent on shoehorning vast, costly global warming regulations into the 1970 Clean Air Act.
Congress has been content to look the other way and allow it to happen, but on June 10 every senator will be on the record. That's when the Senate will vote on a resolution (SJ Res. 26) introduced by Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski that would overturn the EPA's global warming regulations. It's privileged and not subject to filibuster. There is no place for weak-kneed senators to hide. In just two weeks we'll know where every member of the Senate stands, including Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller.
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by J.D. CHARLES, Staff Writer, and MICHAEL BROWNING, Managing Editor of the Logan Banner
Every time there is a mine disaster there is a lot of finger pointing. Much of this finger pointing has more to do with politics than it does concerns about the safety of coal miners.
One great example is the furor over strip mining. When people ask me about “surface mining” or “mountaintop removal” I tell them, I am pro-strip mining because it is SAFER for the coal miners than deep mining.
Statistics back me up on that.
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