Supporters of coal see 'incredible battle' ahead

Apr 26 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - David Beard The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

What would a world leader do whose country possessed the world's most abundant energy source: 15 times more abundant than any other nation and fully onethird of the global supply; a source directly linked to gross domestic product and economic growth, with production growing steadily cleaner and safer?

Would the leader promote it, ignore it or shut it down?

That's the question -- not really a question, more of an illustration -- Hal Quinn, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, posed to about 50 people Wednesday at the Nemacolin Energy Institute National Mining Conference.

He was talking about coal and his disagreement with the Obama administration's approach to energy policy: Promoting alternative energy sources while discouraging coal production and use through environmental regulations, as opponents and proponents have characterized it.

The theme of the day was how to sustain the industry in the face of regulatory challenges from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The conference drew coal industry representatives from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and other states.

Quinn cited some quick facts from various sources: U.S. coal mining directly employs nearly 136,000 people. Coal production generates $180 billion in total economic value. Power plants being built today emit 90 percent less pollutants than the plants they replaced from the 1970s. "This is a record that should be applauded," he said.

The EPA is rolling out a number of new regulations that will affect coalfired power plants.

For instance, the Utility MACT (Maximum Available Control Technology) could require up to 753 power plants to retrofit new scrubbers. It says all plants must meet the performance of the top 12 percent, and new plants will have a stricter standard that even the new Longview Power plant can't achieve. Congress is considering Republican Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe's "resolution of disapproval" through the Congressional Review Act to repeal the rule.

According to a study by the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, the cumulative impact of the various EPA regulations in West Virginia alone could be $16.9 million in lost annual wages, $12.9 million in lost taxes and 3,190 lost jobs.

The politically charged comments crossed party lines. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and vice chair of the Subcommittee on Environment and Economy, said, "There's a lot of folks in Washington, D.C., not so concerned about keeping the lights on. ... That is an incredible battle we have before us. ... We cannot possibly power this country with wind and solar."

Steve Miller, president and CEO of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy, organized the 1992 Kentucky campaign for Democratic President Bill Clinton and the West Virginia campaign for Democratic Gov. Gaston Caperton.

He illustrated how, he said, rising utility rates hurt the poor more than the rich or the middle class. A family earning more than $50,000 spends 9 percent of after-tax income on energy: Heating, cooling and transportation. That climbs for 17 percent for $30,000-$50,000; 24 percent for $10,000-$30,000 and 78 percent for under $10,000.

So driving up prices to clean up the world isn't such a great idea, he said. "Those folks don't live in the world you and I do. ... There are real people out there at the end of the line."

The number of EPA rules and pace of enforcement will kill coal and cripple the economy, he said. "We can continue to improve environmental performance in a more measured time frame" and still enhance the economy without the EPA rules.