“Since taking office, the Obama administration has waged a multi-front war on coal, on coal jobs, on the small businesses in the mining supply chain, and on the low-cost energy that millions of Americans rely upon,” said Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.
An estimated 2,000 jobs have been lost in the coal industry this year, with another 10,000 layoffs in direct and related jobs expecting in coming months. This week, Alpha Natural Resources announced they were closing eight mines and cutting 1,200 jobs, citing aggressive regulations as the reason for the company’s failure. The coal industry estimates its labor force at 135,000.
The Stop the War on Coal Act includes five bills that would block greenhouse gas regulations, require a cost and economic impact accounting of certain regulations imposed by the EPA give the states rather than the federal government regulation of coal ash and water pollution control, and an embargo on a surface mining rule.
With reports of more layoffs and mines shutting down because of restrictive regulations, the House has stepped up and taken action. Now let's see if the Senate will be nearly as effective and send this message onto the very man that's waged this battle.
I'd like to think that these ads are making an impact in this congressional effort, particularly in those bluer districts...
