West Virginia’s Congressional delegation, U. S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, along with Rep. David McKinley and representatives of Congressman Evan Jenkins (Mike Chirico) and Congressman Alex Mooney (Fred Joseph) and WV State Senate President Bill Cole met Friday with the members of the board of directors and government affairs committee of the West Virginia Coal Association. Each of the guests were briefed on the current, critical status of the state’s coal industry and the ongoing downturn brought on by the actions of the Obama Administration and its agencies.

Using 2008 as the benchmark year (before Obama), considerable discussion centered on the dramatic declines in production, employment and the number of operating mines in West Virginia. 

“We wanted to be sure our delegation understands the terrific damage that is and has been done by this federal Administration, their policies and the actions of their agencies, particularly EPA. The effects will be long-lasting,” said Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association.

Our Congressional members were united in saying they are concerned about the reliability and stability of the electric grid in the wake of myriad EPA actions and the forced implementation of the CPP.  And they are also concerned about the cost to ratepayers and the overall cost to the economy.

WVCA Senior Vice President Chris Hamilton was the recipient of The State Journal’s annual Who’s Who in West Virginia Business Awards at a ceremony held May 28. 

“The winners of our Who's Who in West Virginia Business award year after year are the kind of people who make a difference in their communities and the state by giving back to their neighbors,” said Bray Cary of West Virginia Media, parent company of The State Journal. “They may take over a family business or start one from scratch, but they remain true to their beliefs and they lead by example.”

The first class of winners was named in 1993. In the 22 years since, we have honored more than 200 entrepreneurs, educators and other professionals who come from every nook and cranny of the Mountain State.

“It is an honor to be given this award,” Hamilton said. “And it is an honor to be in the company of the others who have been recognized over the past 22 years. I would like to thank The State Journal and the other recipients. I would also like to thank the hard working men and women of the coal industry – past and present – who it is my honor to represent.”

Joining Hamilton as this year’s winners were: 

Winners

·         Stephen Christian: Berkeley County Development Authority

·         Maurice Cooley: Marshall University

·         John Ebert: J.W. Ebert Corp.

·         Mike Ferns Sr.: A&B Kia

·         Marten Jenkins: Natural Capital Investment Fund

·         Ed King: King's Tire Service

·         George Manahan: The Manahan Group

·         Steve McGowan: Steptoe & Johnson

·         Marc Meachum: Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce

·         Janet Neathawk: S.J. Neathawk Lumber Co.

·         Jose "Zito" Sartarelli: WVU College of Business and Economics

·         Scott Winwood: First Choice America

 Tom Jones, West Virginia United Health System was named the winner of this year’s Lorenelle White Lifetime Achievement Award – named after the late-Lorenelle White, who led the State Journal to become one of the state’s leading publications.

West Virginia’s legislative leadership and the coal industry are urging Congress to pass new legislation that could slow down the Obama Administration’s war on Appalachian coal.

Senate President Bill Cole, House Speaker Tim Armstead and Chris Hamilton, senior vice president of the West Virginia Coal Association and co-chairman of the Coal Forum, met with several members of the Legislature and the media at the State Capitol May 18^th to present a unified message to members of Congress: Pass the ARENA Act now.

The ARENA Act – the “Affordable, Reliable Energy Now” Act – is a new bill offered by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).   Capito announced the legislation on May 13, calling it the principal legislative vehicle in the Senate to roll back President Obama’s “Clean Power Plan.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is pursuing changes to the Clean Air Act that would require electric power utilities to scale back coal-fired power to comply with new air emissions standards. EPA’s “Clean Power Plan” will have a particularly negative impact on Appalachian coal states, many of which have sued the agency in federal courts under a lawsuit led by the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office. .

Capito’s bill would prevent EPA from setting technology-based standards for power plants unless that technology has been proven to work at several locations and is commercially viable. ARENA also would extend EPA’s rule-compliance dates pending final judicial review and require the agency to issue state-specific plans for how states could meet the proposed air emissions reductions.

The ARENA Act also seeks to protect consumers from skyrocketing electric power rates because it would allow any governor to refuse to comply with a new air emissions regulatory program if it would have a negative impact on economic growth and ratepayers and threaten reliability of the electricity grid. The bill also will prevent EPA from withholding federal highway funds from any states for noncompliance with the Clean Power Plan.

“Last week, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito introduced this bill to be a powerful legislative weapon in the fight against President Obama’s War on Coal,” President Cole said. “Nobody is against clean air, but the extent that President Obama and his EPA want to go will cause devastating harm to our coal industry and thousands of West Virginia families. The proposed emission reduction standards for power plants are unprecedented, complicated, and expensive. I speak for my fellow legislators today in thanking Senator Capito for introducing the bill and also Senator (Joe) Manchin for co-sponsoring it. We stand ready to assist you both at the state level.”

Speaker Armstead echoed Cole’s support and said the Obama Administration’s disdain for coal-fired electricity has pummeled Appalachian economies.

“The Obama Administration is … imposing unreasonable and oppressive regulations that say to our hardworking West Virginians that the White House doesn’t care if it puts our West Virginians out of work, it doesn’t care if we become more reliant on foreign energy,” Armstead said. “In fact, this White House has said once again, loudly and clearly, that it doesn’t care about West Virginia.”

Under the Obama Administration, Hamilton said, West Virginia coal production has dropped 31 percent and the industry has lost a fifth of its jobs. Coal-fired power plant closures and projected power rate increases caused by the Clean Power Plan only exacerbate the impact on West Virginia’s jobs and economy.

“Amidst all this pain and suffering for our state and for all West Virginians, an important question is being ignored: Will the President’s and EPA’s plan have a significant impact on global climate emissions and therefore climate change? The short answer is no,” Hamilton said.

“Proving that only requires a little bit of math. The President’s plan purports to reduce global emissions by less than 1 percent as global use of coal and coal-fired electricity grow around the world.”

Hamilton thanked Cole and Armstead for providing such strong legislative leadership and offering their public support of the coal industry.

Jennifer Shand, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Marshall University and   Joseph Henchman, vice president of state projects and Jared Walczak, policy analyst, for the Tax Foundation.

Sartarelli’s comments were brief.  He indicated that while tax policy is important, it is only one issue.  He emphasized regulatory importance.  He spoke about South Carolina, and the fact that they have right to work, which he views as very significant.  They just landed a new automotive plant.