Senior VP of WVCA, Chris Hamilton, was invited to testify before the National Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the Natural Resources Committee yesterday (Thursday, October 10, 2013). The Hearing entitled, “EPA v. American Mining Jobs: The Obama Administration’s Regulatory Assault on the Economy”, was well attended, even though it was very noticeable that most Democratic Senators left the conference room once testimony was given and were not available for the question and answer portion of the hearing. Chris’ full testimony is included at end of Coal Bits.
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Re: Testimony of Chris R. Hamilton, SVP, West Virginia Coal Association and Chairman, West Virginia Business & Industry Council as Presented to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the Congressional Natural Resources Committee Oversight Hearing on October 10, 2013.
Good afternoon! I’m Chris Hamilton, Senior Vice-President of the West Virginia Coal Association and Chairman of the West Virginia Business & Industry Council. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in your meeting and discuss the actions or inactions of this Administration on West Virginia’s economy.
West Virginia just celebrated its 150th birthday and we've been mining for all of those 150 years. We are without question one of the state's leading industries, if not the leading industry. We have always provided good paying jobs, infused millions of dollars into local and state wide economies and have provided the region, state, country and world with low-cost, reliable power on a 24/7 basis. That's what we do.
As a state, we manufacture and export energy and power throughout the eastern part of our country and throughout the world. It enables millions of Americans to enjoy the freedom and the world’s greatest quality of life.
West Virginia is the second leading coal producing state, the country’s leading underground coal producing state and the US leader in coal exports, accounting for 50% of the US total. We have consistently averaged between 150 – 160 million tons of annual coal production over the past several decades – until this Administration took office.
We ship coal to practically every state east of the Mississippi river and some 38-39 foreign destinations.
Good afternoon! I’m Chris Hamilton, Senior Vice-President of the West Virginia Coal Association and Chairman of the West Virginia Business & Industry Council. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in your meeting and discuss the actions or inactions of this Administration on West Virginia’s economy.
West Virginia just celebrated its 150th birthday and we've been mining for all of those 150 years. We are without question one of the state's leading industries, if not the leading industry. We have always provided good paying jobs, infused millions of dollars into local and state wide economies and have provided the region, state, country and world with low-cost, reliable power on a 24/7 basis. That's what we do.
As a state, we manufacture and export energy and power throughout the eastern part of our country and throughout the world. It enables millions of Americans to enjoy the freedom and the world’s greatest quality of life.
West Virginia is the second leading coal producing state, the country’s leading underground coal producing state and the US leader in coal exports, accounting for 50% of the US total. We have consistently averaged between 150 – 160 million tons of annual coal production over the past several decades – until this Administration took office.
We ship coal to practically every state east of the Mississippi river and some 38-39 foreign destinations.
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“EPA’s planned announcement this week of new source performance standards for new coal-fired power plants will hurt West Virginia jobs, our economy and may result in increased electric costs for consumers across this country.
These new rules are expected to stymie the construction of new, and the expansion of existing, coal-fired generating plants – the most dependable, reliable and lowest cost method of making electricity in America today.
If you can’t build new coal-fired power plants or expand the ones we have, EPA’s directly taking West Virginia coal jobs. What makes it worse is that the federal government has refused to determine the economic impact of these rules before they are promulgated! This negative attack is further magnified by efforts to reduce the fossil fuel and carbon control and sequestration budgets in the Department of Energy, which if anything, need to be maintained and increased!
When you look at these rules as a package and their arrogant behavior, there is no other conclusion to be drawn than this EPA and Administration are making good on its promise to put the industry out of business and take our peoples’ livelihoods. Millions of American jobs, as well as the economies of communities across this country, hang in the balance.
The West Virginia Coal Association is calling upon all congressional leaders who recognize that coal is a critical piece of this country’s energy plan and the provider of low cost, affordable electricity to put the brakes on this out-of-control EPA before the economic damage becomes irreversible. There is much more to be said on this issue, but Congress needs to act now.”
For additional information, contact the West Virginia Coal Association at (304) 342-4153.
These new rules are expected to stymie the construction of new, and the expansion of existing, coal-fired generating plants – the most dependable, reliable and lowest cost method of making electricity in America today.
If you can’t build new coal-fired power plants or expand the ones we have, EPA’s directly taking West Virginia coal jobs. What makes it worse is that the federal government has refused to determine the economic impact of these rules before they are promulgated! This negative attack is further magnified by efforts to reduce the fossil fuel and carbon control and sequestration budgets in the Department of Energy, which if anything, need to be maintained and increased!
When you look at these rules as a package and their arrogant behavior, there is no other conclusion to be drawn than this EPA and Administration are making good on its promise to put the industry out of business and take our peoples’ livelihoods. Millions of American jobs, as well as the economies of communities across this country, hang in the balance.
The West Virginia Coal Association is calling upon all congressional leaders who recognize that coal is a critical piece of this country’s energy plan and the provider of low cost, affordable electricity to put the brakes on this out-of-control EPA before the economic damage becomes irreversible. There is much more to be said on this issue, but Congress needs to act now.”
For additional information, contact the West Virginia Coal Association at (304) 342-4153.
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Former football coaches Don Nehlen (WVU) and Bob Pruett (Marshall) headline a new radio show that begins Monday on MetroNews affiliates.
The show will air from 7:06 to 8 p.m. each Monday through Nov. 25 on MetroNews affiliates across the state, including WCHS-AM (580) in Charleston and WRVC-AM (930) in Huntington.
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The Business & Industry Council of West Virginia (BIC) elected the following officers for next year: Chairman – Chris R. Hamilton, Senior Vice President of WVCA; First Vice Chairman, Joe Letnaunchyn, West Virginia Hospital Association; and, Second Vice Chairman, Mike Clowser, Contractors Association of WV.
BIC was founded in 1982 by a group of trade association executives interested in expanding the influence of business at the Capitol by working together on common issues.