The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to make rulings and pass regulations that will stifle the mining industry and ultimately have adverse impacts on not only the coal mining region, but indeed the entire country.

Henry Payne/ The Michigan View.com

Despite voter rejection of Democrats' radical cap and trade legislation at the polls last November, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hungrily eyeing the U.S. coal industry with backdoor carbon regulation. 

And Michigan is first on the menu. 

Wolverine Power, which serves northern Michigan, wants to build a new coal-fired power plant to satisfy Michigan's future energy needs with more efficient technology. But in addition to running the usual gauntlet of federal regulations, Wolverine faces a formidable new hurdle: It must now satisfy carbon dioxide regulations stealthily drafted at the beginning of this year. 

"We are venturing into uncharted territory," says Wolverine Director of Community and Government Affairs Ken Bradstreet of the vague rule with no precedent for how to meet it. 

On May 27 (today), MSHA will publish a notice in the Federal Register extending the comment period on the proposed rule addressing Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Coal Mine Dust, Including Continuous Personal Dust Monitors.  The comment period will be extended from May 31, 2011 until June 20, 2011.  the notice was available for viewing on May 25 at the Office of the Federal Register, Public Inspection Desk:  http://www.federalregister.gov/inspection.aspx

A discussion of the origins of the Friends of Coal and the new state-issued license plate were the topics of the latest episode of The Coal Seam filmed this week at the studios of the Library Television Network in Charleston. The show, seen on Suddenlink Channel 17, as well as cable channels and other library network affiliates, featured special guests Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, who discussed the development of the Friends of Coal organization, as well as West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Joe Miller and Thom Stevens, representative of the 3M Corporation that developed the plate using new technologies.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Mica (R-FL) and Ranking Member Rahall (D-WV) have indicated that they will introduce legislation titled, “The Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act,” at some point today or prior to the holiday weekend.  As drafted, the legislation seeks to address permitting delays, clarify EPA’s authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA), and preserve the authority of states to make determinations relating to their water quality standards. The proposed legislation does the following:

 

• Maintains protection of public health and the environment by requiring a cooperative effort between state and federal governments;