With cap and trade and other actions, it’s no secret that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Obama Administration have been seeking ways to put the coal industry out of business. My recent article, Old King Coal is Still King, pointed out how shortsighted that is.
Now with gas prices through the roof and electricity rates getting there, the EPA has positioned itself to begin implementing new mandates that could leave thousands of Americans and Virginians without jobs.
Not that Congress approved it. The EPA is doing all of this without the approval of, or even input from, our legislative branch of Government. This action has resulted in several states, including our very own Virginia House of Delegates, to pass resolutions asking Congress to address the proposed regulations.
Introduced by Delegate James Morefield, the Virginia resolution was flat-out a necessary step to protect all Virginians from the consequences of burdensome regulations on power producers.
32,000 Virginians rely on coal-related jobs and over 44% of all electricity in the state is generated via coal-fired power plants? Higher energy costs associated with any interruption in electricity production will disproportionately affect low income groups who are already struggling in a sluggish economy. The House of Delegates should be commended because they understand that the EPA’s rules are not about what is best for Virginia, but are an overt attempt to stifle American prosperity.
Coal is a viable resource in Virginia. Delegate Morefield and 65 of his other colleagues who voted in the affirmative understand the of importance coal-fired power. They also understand the ramifications of the full frontal assault on Virginia by the EPA. Both inside and outside the Obama Administration, environmentalists have embraced the EPA’s regulatory train wreck as the most effective means by which they can do battle for their declared war on coal.
Just last month the EPA proposed a new regulation that would force our energy producers to invest substantial funds in technology to test and limit their emissions, and in some cases—get this! —the technology isn’t even commercially available! Naturally the energy companies will be passing on the costs of this new Utility Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) policy to consumers, and they might even be forced to close several coal-fired plants. The cost to Virginians would be significant, both in terms of hundreds of jobs as well as increased electricity costs to everyone.
The EPA is simply circumventing the legislative process to impose these regulations because even they recognize that their proposals would never have a chance passing, just as Cap and Trade did not pass when the facts were laid out and the truth was told.
This attempt to legislate through regulation must be stopped. We elect representatives and send them to Washington to have the opportunity to debate the issues and come to decisions about what is best for the Country on our behalf. Call Senator Warner at (202) 224-2023 and Senator Webb at (202) 224-4024 today and tell them to stop the EPA from destroying Virginia.
Thank you!
