Association Says Costs Simply Not Bearable for West Virginia Families

CHARLESTON — The EPA’s continued assault on coal and coal-fired power plants comes with a huge cost to consumers. According to a recently released study, the resulting shift to using more natural gas will likely cost the average family an additional $750 to $850 per year for energy use in 2020 compared to what they paid in 2012.

The study, “Energy Market Impacts of Recent Federal Regulations on the Electric Power Sector,” factors in the EPA’s proposed carbon rule and other regulations, along with the expected doubling in price of wholesale natural gas in coming years. The yearly energy cost for the average Ohioan would go from $2,022 in 2012 to $2,874 in 2020, a 42 percent increase, the study projects. For West Virginians, the yearly energy cost would go from $1,960 in 2012 to $2,710 in 2020, a 38 percent increase, the study projects. Meanwhile, nationwide, consumers and businesses would see the cost of electricity and natural gas increase by nearly $300 billion in 2020 compared with 2012.  The industrial sector will be hard hit with total electricity and natural gas cost for the sector approaching $200 billion in 2020, almost double the cost from 2012. This would stifle industrial growth and lead to higher prices for any goods produced using electricity. Overall, the study projects a $177 billion increase in electricity costs and a $107 billion increase in natural gas costs in 2020 compared with 2012 when the cumulative effects of EPA regulations and energy market impacts are analyzed.

WVCA Offices will be closed on these two days for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Thank you and have a wonderful holiday.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) has decided not to file an emergency rule to implement the provisions of Senate Bill 373, the Aboveground Storage Tank Act that was passed by the Legislature following the Elk River Chemical Spill in January.  The agency will modify the currently proposed emergency rule and file it as a “normal” rule for consideration by the Legislature during the 2015 Regular Session.  Once filed as a normal rule, there will be another public comment period and public hearing held on the proposal.    If filed as an emergency rule, the regulations would become effective upon certification by the Secretary of State and be operative as the Legislature considers revisions to the statute.  WV DEP’s interpretive rule http://www.dep.wv.gov/WWE/abovegroundstoragetanks/Documents/20141020DRAFTInterpretiveRuleRevBasedonCommentsKABfinal.pdf will be the only effective rule while the Legislature considers revisions to Senate Bill 373. 

Congressman David McKinley (R-WV), will have more responsibility when the new Congress begins meeting next year.  McKinley, who was re-elected to his third term, will continue to serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee for the next two years.  He will also maintain his position on the Energy and Power and the Environmental and Economy subcommittees, but has been named vice chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.  While on the committees, McKinley has been vocal in his opposition of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Affordable Care Act.

The incoming legislative leaders in both the State Senate and House have announced their intentions to elevate the legislative energy committees to "major committee" status when the Legislature convenes in January.

Current House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, who will likely be Speaker following the December caucus and State Senator Bill Cole, who is projected to become the new Senate President stressed the importance of coal and energy to the state (past and future) when making the announcement.   

Both Armstead and Cole indicated that they would like for the Legislature's involvement with coal and energy issues to become more contributory to the success and viability of the state's energy industries.

Below is a related news article appearing in the Wheeling Intelligencer.  

http://www.wvcoal.com/latest/w-va-gop-leaders-to-elevate-state-energy-panel.html