"What I've said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else's out there," Obama said in a Jan. 17 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle that was made public today first on the Web site newsbusters.org, which calls itself "the leader in documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias." The story later was linked on The Drudge Report.
By Chris Dickerson -Statehouse Bureau
At least one state coal industry leader said he was shocked
by comments Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made earlier
this year concerning his plan to aggressively charge polluters for
carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
"What I've said is that we
would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not
more aggressive, than anybody else's out there," Obama said in a Jan.
17 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle that was made public
today first on the Web site newsbusters.org,
which calls itself "the leader in documenting, exposing and
neutralizing liberal media bias." The story later was linked on The
Drudge Report.
An audio excerpt from the interview can be found at YouTube.
"I
was the first to call for a 100 percent auction on the cap and trade
system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases
emitted would be charged to the polluter," Obama continued. "That will
create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are
being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they
would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down
caps that are being placed, imposed every year.
"So if somebody
wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will
bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all
that greenhouse gas that's being emitted."
Calls and e-mails to
West Virginia Obama campaign officials seeking comment for this story
were not returned as of Sunday evening.
According to the West
Virginia Office of Miners' Health, Safety and Training, the coal
industry provides about 40,000 direct jobs in the state, including
those for miners, mine contractors, coal preparation plant employees
and mine supply company workers.
West Virginia is the second
largest coal-producing state in the country behind Wyoming and accounts
for about 15 percent of all coal production in the United States. The
Mountain State leads the nation in underground coal production and
leads the nation in coal exports with over 50 million tons shipped to
23 countries. West Virginia accounts for about half of U.S. coal
exports.
In addition, the coal industry pays about $70 million
in property taxes in the state annually, and the Coal Severance Tax
adds about $214 million into West Virginia's economy. The coal industry
payroll in the state is nearly $2 billion per year, and coal is
responsible for more than $3.5 billion annually in the gross state
product.
"The only thing I've said with respect to coal, I
haven't been some coal booster," Obama said in the San Francisco
Chronicle interview. "What I have said is that for us to take coal off
the table as an ideological matter as opposed to saying if technology
allows us to use coal in a clean way, we should pursue it."
The senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association called Obama's comments "unbelievable."
"His
comments are unfortunate," Chris Hamilton said Sunday, "and really
reflect a very uninformed voice and perspective to coal specifically
and energy generally."
Hamilton noted other times Obama and vice presidential candidate Joe Biden have made seemingly anti-coal statements.
"In
Ohio recently, when Joe Biden said 'not here' about building coal-fired
power plants -- this is exactly what will happen," Hamilton said.
"Financing won't be directed here. It will all go aboard for plants
elsewhere in the world. The United Sates is importing more coal today
from Indonesia, South Africa and Colombia than we ever have.
"If
we're going to create a situation where coal-fired power plants are at
that much of a disadvantage, there will be new ones built. But as Biden
said, just not here."
Republican presidential candidate John
McCain's state director said Obama's statements are troubling,
especially for West Virginians.
"I think this clearly shows the
attitude the Obama-Biden ticket has toward coal," Ben Beakes said
Sunday. "Rhetoric is cheap, but behind closed doors what they tell
their supporters - that's what we have to take as gospel.
"They're definitely not friends of coal."
Beakes
noted other examples of Obama and Biden making seemingly anti-coal
statements, such as in February when Obama said he'd like to tax "dirty
energy" such as coal and natural gas.
"And their cohorts in
Congress make similar statements," Beakes said. "(Senate Majority
Leader) Harry Reid (D-Nevada) said this summer that 'coal makes us
sick.'
"This is an attitude and view that, to me, shows their
hatred of coal. And therefore, their view would cost West Virginians
thousands upon thousands of jobs."
Beakes touted McCain's view toward coal.
"John
McCain has embraced coal," Beakes said. "He doesn't agree with
everything in the coal industry, but his view of coal is positive. He
will make it part of his energy policy. He's met with leaders in the
coal industry and let them know that. He's sought advice from coal
industry leaders.
"McCain understands that coal supports about
49 percent of our electricity in this country. He'll continue to make
coal important. He wants to reduce our foreign dependency on oil."
Hamilton also said the Obama campaign needs to find varied sources for coal and energy advice.
"If
they're victorious Tuesday, they'd better go to someone other than Al
Gore on energy and environmental matters," he said. "They've tipped the
balance way -- unnecessarily so -- toward protecting the environment."