Governor Earl Ray Tomblin joined West Virginia miners, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, Ohio Lt. Governor Mary Taylor and others at the July 31st Rally to Support American Energy jobs. The rally was held in response to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) public hearing for the proposed Clean Power Plan rule which were being held in Pittsburgh Thursday, July 31 and Friday, August 1.
Four buses from West Virginia joined others from Ohio and Pennsylvania to transport people to the rally as well. Those in attendance included: Logan Mayor Serafino Nolletti, Man Mayor Jim Blevins, Senator Art Kirkendoll, Senator Ron Stollings, Delegate Rupie Phillips, members of Citizens for Coal and many more.
Governor Tomblin started the day with a bold statement: the EPA’s proposed standards are simply unattainable.
“Today’s rally gives us an opportunity to come together and explain that EPA should be working with us toward energy independence, not mandating unilateral restrictions on our nation’s energy production,” Tomblin said. “That’s why our state is joining the fight against the EPA’s proposed rules to establish unreasonable restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions. These ideological policies will not only devastate our region by eliminating jobs, but will unnecessarily increase the cost of power across the country.”
The EPA conducted a series of hearings last week – in Atlanta, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Denver, Colorado and Washington, D.C. – on its proposed carbon emissions rule that would negatively affect the burning of coal at America’s power plants.
“Growing up in the heart of coal country and as a proud son of the West Virginia coalfields, who continues to make his home there, I see the faces behind these numbers,” Tomblin said. “When the EPA forces mines to close, I know the men and women who lose their jobs, the families who are at risk of losing their homes and the sons and daughters forced to move away to find work.”
Attorney General Patrick Morrisey believes the solution is for coal miners around the nation to band together. “I think it is critical that the states of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania form a united front against the EPA’s burdensome and illegal proposed regulation on existing power plants,” Morrisey said. “This shouldn’t be an issue of Democrat versus Republican; all three states are deeply dependent upon coal and the use of coal to power our economy, and not one of the states will emerge from these regulations unscathed. We must ensure that the EPA and the Obama Administration know that we are watching them, and we will fight this illegal regulation in any way we can.”
Morrisey challenged the EPA even further, asking it to withdraw its proposed rule immediately or look forward to a strong, legal opposition. “We [AGs] are the last line of defense against a federal government that seems to believe the rule of law does not apply to it,” Morrisey said.
WVCA Senior Vice President and WV Business and Industry Council Chairman Chris Hamilton gave what most considered the most emotional speech of the day.
“To think that all this pain and economic loss is over a mere 1% of all world greenhouse gas emissions is truly mind boggling,” Hamilton said. “It all but obviates a cost-benefit analysis and the last time I checked, the US is not a planet! It does so little good to ratchet down our economy while world emissions increase. So, until other countries around the globe, catch up and follow the lead already being demonstrated here with respect to environmental stewardship and accomplishment…I simply say – No. Hell No!
“As I look out and across the City of Pittsburgh, I see a city that exemplifies our industry and environmental record today – a city that’s been transformed by the same technological forces that have transformed our daily lives over the past 25 years. Transformation, not only fueled by your blood, sweat and tears, but has been driven by coal-fired power and the electrification of our society.
“The skies here are blue, the waters clear. Wasn’t always like that but we have made tremendous progress, and, we get better at it by the hour and by the day, we have demonstrated “industrial leadership” and environmental excellence to the world many times over. This is what the President should be touting around the world (our demonstrated industrial leadership), not climate leadership – He has it all backwards.”