We've always said the EPA's extra-legal attempt to rewrite the 1970 Clean Air Act to twist it into a greenhouse gas law -- cap-and-trade by other means -- would be a disaster. Up to now, EPA tried to claim it would only apply permitting requirements to large industrial facilities. Now it is finally telling the truth -- that applying the Clean Air Act as written will force permitting for even small commercial facilities, schools, hospitals, churches, restaurants that use natural gas as a cooking fuel, and even larger single family homes.

In a court filing last week, EPA quantified the vast new army of federal bureaucrats it will need to process millions of new permits under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Title V permitting process. A shocking 230,000 new EPA bureaucrats at a cost of $21 billion -- more than tripling the EPA's total budget. In the filing EPA says it will reach these levels by April 30, 2016.

Based on the historical relationship between the number of federal regulators and private sector employment recently quantified by the Phoenix Center the addition of 230,000 federal bureaucrats would destroy 22.5 million private sector jobs.

By George F. Will, Published: September 23

PHOENIX
Cindy Vong is a tiny woman with a problem as big as the government that is causing it. She wants to provide a service that will enable customers “to brighten up their days.” Having fish nibble your feet may not be your idea of fun, but lots of people around the world enjoy it, and so did some Arizonans until their bossy government butted in, in the service of a cartel. Herewith a story that illustrates how governments that will not mind their own business impede the flourishing of businesses.

by Amber Marra

Daily Mail

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A dedicated group of West Virginia University alumni will be conducting their own Mountaineer Mantrip tomorrow all the way from Tampa, Fla.

But don't think that Jeff Fenske, Andre Janecki and the rest of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the WVU Alumni will be walking the whole 900 miles from the Sunshine State to Mountaineer Field.

In spite of the chapter's distance from West Virginia, members still managed to bring a little piece of the Mountain State to their new city. They have a 35-pound chunk of coal to rub for good luck before the Mountaineers take on No. 2 Louisiana State University.

We Need Your Help! Please Join Us!

What: Charleston, WV Congressional Hearing of the U.S. House Energy & Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the Natural Resources Committee

When: Monday, September 26, 2011

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Where: Kanawha County Courthouse (Old Courthouse)

2^nd Floor, Historical Courtroom #4

407 Virginia Street, East

Charleston, WV

Please consider attending this important congressional hearing on Monday.  The title of the hearing is “Jobs at Risk: Community Impacts of the Obama Administration’s Effort to Rewrite the Stream Buffer Zone Rule”.   The hearing will examine the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation’s (OSM) Stream Protection rule-making and its impact on jobs. It important to have a good showing of coal miners and pro coal people in the audience.  The Courthouse opens at 8 a.m.

By OSM’s own analysis, the new rule would destroy more than 20,000 coal mining and related jobs.

We need your respectful participation at this hearing to show the congressional representatives in attendance that stakeholders in West Virginia’s coal economy believe the Stream Buffer Zone Rule is just one more attempt by this Administration to put Appalachian coal mining out of business, and with it, the region’s economy.

Please attend!

by The Associated Press

The Associated Press

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Arch Coal Inc. is donating $300,000 for mine safety research at West Virginia University. 

The funds will be managed by the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources' Mining and Industrial Extension Department.

WVU said Thursday it will try to double the gift by seeking a matching grant from the state Research Trust Fund.

Chief Executive Steven Leer says St. Louis-based Arch appreciates WVU's work in educating a new generation of engineers.

WVU's Academy for Mine Training and Energy Technologies trained nearly 10,000 miners last year.
It offers certification courses for new miners and mine foremen, along with training in mine rescue, mine fire safety and emergency preparedness.