WHEELING - For better or for worse, depending on one's perspective, President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan will significantly change America by the year 2030 - if its goal of cutting 32 percent of CO2 emissions from electricity plants becomes reality.

To the dozens of coal industry officials, elected leaders, candidates and concerned members of the public gathered for a forum on the future of coal in the state at Oglebay Park on Tuesday, the effect of the plan will be decidedly negative, as they believe the state is set to lose thousands of jobs and see skyrocketing electricity rates. The Forum was hosted by the West Virginia Coal Forum, a joint labor-management organization based in Charleston.

The Association is pleased and proud to welcome the following new members who were approved at last week’s Board of Directors’ meeting:    Met Resources; Greenbrier Smokeless Coal Company; Narcelle Logistics; ESCO Corporation; URCO, Inc.;  and the Rogers Group.  We appreciate these new members’ confidence in the Association and we look forward to a long and active membership as we collectively address the issues confronting our industry. 

Announced as “breaking” news late last week, a group of 15 state attorneys general, including West Virginia’s Patrick Morrisey, took aim at the EPA’s Clean (Costly)Power Plan on Thursday, urging the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to issue an emergency stay of the controversial proposal’s deadlines while its legality is reviewed by the courts. 

The attorneys general argued that EPA lacks the legal authority to carry out the plan and said that a stay is appropriate so that States do not have to use taxpayer resources to comply with the rule before its formal publication.  

The September episode of the West Virginia Coal Association’s Coal Seam television show was filmed this week. The special guest was Senate President and Lt. Governor Bill Cole, who discussed the issues related to the President’s Carbon and Mercury Rules and their impact on the future of coal in the state – focusing specifically on what the state can do on its own to help the industry compete while continuing to push back on the Obama Administration’s regulatory assault. 

Cole also discussed the 2016 Legislative Agenda, saying that a big part of the upcoming session would be focused on tax reform and other means to help state businesses compete.  The episode begins airing next week.

The Coal Seam is available on your local public access cable channel, including Suddenlink Channel 17 in the southern part of the state. Check your local listings for the dates and times.

The 2015 edition of Coal Facts, the West Virginia Coal Association’s annual report on the status of the state’s coal industry, is now available. It is available at the WVCA’s office in Charleston or for download at http://www.wvcoal.com/docs/Coal%20Facts%202015.pdf.  Drop by and see us or visit our website for your copy today.