"Today's EPA decision is not just fundamentally wrong, it is an unprecedented act by the federal government that will cost our state and our nation even more jobs during the worst recession in this country's history," Senator Joe Manchin, D-WV.
“I’m not going to say it’s political, but it’s a stance they have taken policy-wise that I think is extremely harmful to the United States of America and definitely to West Virginia. This is not just an assault on the coal industry. It's an assault on every job market in the U.S. economy. It might be West Virginia and the coal industry today. It will be your industry tomorrow." Senator Joe Manchin, D-WV.
"This is exactly the kind of practice that will keep capital on the sidelines and slow our economic recovery. The negative impact…will be felt not only by West Virginians and the energy industry, but across all sectors of our economy." Karen Harbert, CEO of the U.S. Chamber's Institute for 21st Century Energy. "
"At a time when West Virginia families desperately need new jobs, the Obama EPA is proactively destroying high-paying family wage jobs by retroactively withdrawing a permit. With this decision, the administration is going back in time to shutdown jobs already approved and underway," Rep. Doc Hastings (R., Wash.), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. "
“To give the EPA that much authority and the willingness to use it means that investors are going to be very cautious about investing in supplying energy when the federal government can nullify those investments and send your workforce home simply because they, on second thought or hindsight, decide that’s what they want to do,” Bill Bledsoe, Virginia Mining Association
"While this administration claims that it will not take similar action on any other permit, there is nothing to prevent it, or any future EPA, from reaching back to veto a previously granted permit now that this line has been crossed. The good news, if there is any, may be that by EPA’s finalizing this threatened action, the matter can now be taken before the courts, where I hope it will receive a thorough hearing and expeditious reversal,” Rep. Nick Joe Rahall, D-WV.
"It is hard to understand how the EPA at this late hour could take such a drastic action. We will continue with all efforts to get this decision reversed,” Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, West Virginia.
"Their decision is wrong and unfair – Spruce Mine has always made good faith efforts to comply with the applicable laws and regulations. But this fight is not over. Ultimately, this is a decision that has a strong chance of being overturned by the courts, and I will continue to do everything in my power to stand up for our West Virginia miners and their jobs,” Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-WV.
“EPA has taken this unprecedented action—never before contemplated in the nearly 40 years since the enactment of the Clean Water Act—at a time of great economic uncertainty. NMA urges the administration to step back from this unwarranted action and restore trust in the sanctity of lawfully granted and abided by permits and the jobs and economic activity they support,” Hal, Quinn, president, National Mining Association.
"It doesn't affect them [EPA] because their check is coming in every month but these people that are working for a living are going to be affected by this," James Robison, Logan County.