By The Associated Press
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- More than 32 mostly coal-fired power plants in a dozen states will be forced to shut down and an additional 36 might have to close because of new federal air pollution regulations, according to an Associated Press survey. 

Together, those plants -- some of the oldest and dirtiest in the country -- produce enough electricity for more than 22 million households, the AP survey found. But their demise probably won't cause homes to go dark.

The fallout will be most acute for the towns where power plant smokestacks long have cast a shadow. Tax revenues and jobs will be lost, and investments in new power plants and pollution controls probably will raise electric bills.

The survey, based on interviews with 55 power plant operators and on the Environmental Protection

Agency's own prediction of power plant retirements, rebuts claims by critics of the regulations and some electric power producers.

Gabriel Nelson, E&E Reporter

The largest lobbying group for the coal industry is spoiling for a fight with Chesapeake Energy Corp., which bills itself as the second-largest U.S. natural gas producer, over the company's funding of a push for tougher air pollution rules.

Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake has given money to the American Lung Association to help fund the "Fighting for Air" campaign, according to past statements by Chesapeake and the ALA's most recent annual report. The health group is now running a nationwide advertising campaign, built around an image of a baby in a bright-red stroller coughing in front of a polluting power plant, to call for tougher air quality regulations.

Handcrafted elephant, donkey presented during Senate gift exchange

by Jared Hunt

Daily Mail Capitol Reporter

Charleston Daily Mail

CHARLESTON, W.Va.-- While traditionally seen as a bad thing, Sen. Joe Manchin was happy to both give and receive lumps of coal in a holiday gift exchange with his fellow U.S. senators Monday evening.

His gift of West Virginia coal to fellow Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., ended up being the most talked-about gift of the party.

By Trish Turner

Santa Claus came to town early this year -- in "secret" fashion -- spreading good tidings of great joy in one unlikely place -- the U.S. Senate.

Most gift-givers would probably give lawmakers lumps of coal at this point -- and the black gem actually did surface in Monday night's mystery gift exchange so common to many workplaces.

But senators participating in the "Secret Santa" exchange kept it mostly safe this season, sticking to their inner circle in a bipartisan manner that seemed to vanquish the partisan Scrooginess -- however fleetingly -- that has haunted the corridors of the Capitol all year.

By C.V. Moore

Register-Herald Reporter

BECKLEY — Southern West Virginia lacks a reliable, educated workforce, say business and industry leaders gathered Wednesday in Beckley.
“Everybody needs good employees right now. I don’t know of a business who doesn’t,” said local businessman Warren Hylton.
Hylton was among two dozen business people who gathered in Beckley for a regional meeting of the West Virginia Business and Industry Council (WVBIC), a lobbying organization for the business community.