Friends Of Coal encouraged to engage in support

With more than 300 industry representatives in attendance, and featuring local, state, and federal dignitaries, the West Virginia Coal Association held the 49^th Annual West Virginia Mining Symposium April 18-19 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Charleston, West Virginia. 

Chris Hamilton, President and Chief Executive Officer of the West Virginia Coal Association, said, “While the industry is strong today, the Biden Administration and national liberal forces continue their efforts daily to remove coal from America’s energy portfolio. We need all Friends of Coal to engage with us to let them know West Virginia’s mining industry is indispensable for providing reliable electricity, national security, and the steel that builds this country.” 

Charleston, W.Va. – With the passage of several bills this Legislative Session, state policy makers took unprecedented steps to stabilize the region’s electric grid and encourage the development of energy using West Virginia coal.

“All West Virginians should thank their legislator and the Governor for prioritizing the reliability of our electric grid and the maximization of our in-state coal resources,” said Chris Hamilton, president of the West Virginia Coal Association. “The package of legislation they passed and the Governor signed will help protect us against us against calamitous weather events, like winter storm this past December that almost brought down the grid, and ensure jobs for our miners and continued economic activity for our communities.”

Charleston, W.Va. – A new study released last week by PJM Interconnection, the grid operator covering West Virginia and multiple other states in our region, forecasts that the amount of planned electric generation retirements by 2030 exceed the amount of potential new generation able to be brought online. 

According to the study, entitled Energy Transition in PJM: Resource Retirements, Replacements & Risks, “the projections…indicate that it is possible that the current pace of new entry [new generation] would be insufficient to keep up with expected retirements and demand growth by 2030”.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. ─ America's Coal Associations today condemned President Biden's Environmental Protection Agency for its actions earlier this week to disapprove State Implementation Plans (SIPs) for 19 states throughout America.   

 EPA disapproved state submitted plans that have been pending since 2019 in an effort to implement more stringent and punitive standards by circumventing the Clean Air Act’s rulemaking process for developing new standards. 

Representatives from America’s Coal Associations called EPA’s disapproval action,” The height of callousness and contempt for an American industry and American workers who have given this great country so much and continue to supply reliable, resilient, and secure baseload power to support Americas electric grids, and base fuel for infrastructure buildout and steel making.

“To completely dismantle SIPs that have taken years to design and develop, which address individual state ambient air standards that are fully compliant with applicable federal air standards, and ensure maximum environmental protections demonstrates the Agency's arrogance and disregard for governors and state legislatures across America.” 

ACA calls upon governors, state legislators, and congressional representatives to join to encourage Congress and state attorneys general to take whatever action is necessary to stop the Biden Administration from destroying America’s industrial community. 

America’s Coal Associations, comprised of the organizations below, collectively account for 261,000 coal industry workers and $381 billion dollars of economic activity.

For additional information, contact Chris Hamilton at (304) 342-4153. 

Charleston, W.Va. – In submitted comments to the House Ways & Means Committee, which is holding a Congressional Field Hearing today in Petersburg, W.Va., the West Virginia Coal Association laid blame for high energy costs and unreliable supply at the feet of anti-coal/anti-fossil fuel Democratic leaders and offered policy proposals to ensure our nation’s electric grid remains stable and resilient.