West Virginia’s energy industry movers and shakers were on hand Tuesday, December 17, for the annual Governor’s Energy Summit in Charleston.
West Virginia’s primary energy resource – coal – took center stage for the event, held at the Charleston Marriott Town Center.
Bob Murray, founder and president of Murray Energy, which recently completed the acquisition of the majority of Consol Energy’s coal mining properties in the state, was on hand to give the keynote address.
Murray pulled no punches in his comments, calling out President Obama for his efforts to destroy the coal industry – both here in West Virginia and across the country.
"Their efforts are accelerating," Murray told the crowd of about 300 people. "They are not decreasing."
"Mr. Obama's actions are a human issue to me," Murray said. "I know the names of those Americans whose jobs and family livelihoods are being destroyed as he appeases his radical environmentalist, unionist, liberal elitist, Hollywood character and other constituencies that got him elected.
"These folks whose lives are being destroyed, ladies and gentlemen, are my employees," he said. "These people who just want to work are denied that, prohibited from working and go to the negative side of the economic ledger for the rest of their lives. This is not the America I cherish."
The coal leaders followed introductory remarks by Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette and Congresswoman Shelley Capito.
Also on hand were West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney; Deck Slone, senior vice president of strategy and public policy for Arch Coal and Gene Kitts, vice president of engineering for Alpha Natural Resources.
Raney said Murray’s comments reflect the reality on the ground in West Virginia.
“This president and his EPA have done everything in their power to destroy the coal industry and with it the tens of thousands of jobs it provides to West Virginians,” Raney said. “Like Mr. Murray, I know these people. I see their faces every day. Obama doesn’t. The EPA won’t even come to West Virginia or any other coal state to hear from our people as part of their national ‘listening tour” on new GHG regulations. Our people are the best in the world at what they do and they deserve a president who will stand up for their jobs and their families, not rob them of their livelihoods.”
Click HERE to listen Bob Murray’s speech in its entirety.