CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In its most impactful decision to date for the nation’s energy security and stability, the Trump Administration has proposed repealing the so-called Clean Power Plan (CPP), and West Virginia’s coal companies could not be more elated.
“This administration continues to live up to the promises it made to the people in our coalfields,” said West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney. “We have been saying for years that the Clean Power Plan was a totally unworkable concept that would cause nothing but devastation for West Virginia’s economy while it forcibly reshaped the country’s electrical grid. With today’s announcement, we see the incredible value that comes with the Trump administration’s pragmatic review of previous environmental policies.”
In its official filing to repeal the Obama-era Clean Power Plan regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the CPP requirements extend beyond what can be achieved by the country’s electric generators and exceed the statutory authority granted to EPA. Furthermore, EPA says it intends to “avoid potentially transformative economic, policy and political significance in the absence of a clear Congressional statement of intent to confer such authority on the Agency.”
Raney said West Virginia’s coal industry is continuing to enjoy a more robust market than it did just a year ago at this time, and repealing the CPP will provide even more market security for the coal industry. He said West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and the West Virginia Legislature should be commended for their efforts over the last several years to combat the previous administration’s anti-coal policies and help West Virginia coal compete in the marketplace.
“All we ever have asked for is a level playing field, and repealing the CPP goes a long way toward achieving that goal,” Raney said.