Byrd of W.Va.: 'Coal must embrace the future'

West Virginia and its coal industry must adapt to change or be overrun by it, says U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, the state's senior political leader, breaking from the embrace most of his juniors have with the industry.

"West Virginia’s elected officials are rightly concerned about jobs and the economic impact on local communities. I share those concerns. But the time has come to have an open and honest dialogue about coal’s future in West Virginia," writes Byrd, a Democrat who has served longer in the Senate than anyone ever has. "Let’s speak the truth. The most important factor in maintaining coal-related jobs is demand for coal. Scapegoating and stoking fear among workers over the permitting process is counter-productive."

To the industry, Byrd makes a business argument: "Coal companies want a large stockpile of permits in their back pockets because that implies stability to potential investors. But when coal industry representatives stir up public anger toward federal regulatory agencies, it can damage the state’s ability to work with those agencies to West Virginia’s benefit. This, in turn, may create the perception of ineffectiveness within the industry, which can drive potential investors away."

Byrd is referring to the Environmental Protection Agency's moves to tighten regulation of mountaintop removal and similar strip mining. He warns, "The practice of mountaintop removal mining has a diminishing constituency in Washington," and has "strong bipartisan opposition." He argues, "Most members of Congress, like most Americans, oppose the practice, and we may not yet fully understand the effects of mountaintop removal mining on the health of our citizens." Byrd also rejects the notion of some West Virginia Democrats that the state's federal representatives should refuse to vote for health-care reform unless the EPA backs off, calling the idea "morally indefensible."

On the biggest issue confronting the industry, Byrd writes, "To deny the mounting science of climate change is to stick our heads in the sand and say 'deal me out.' West Virginia would be much smarter to stay at the table. . . . The 20 coal-producing states together hold some powerful political cards. We can have a part in shaping energy policy, but we must be honest brokers if we have any prayer of influencing coal policy. . . . The greatest threats to the future of coal do not come from possible constraints on mountaintop removal mining or other environmental regulations, but rather from rigid mindsets, depleting coal reserves, and the declining demand for coal as more power plants begin shifting to biomass and natural gas as a way to reduce emissions." (Read more) To listen to Byrd reading his statement, click here.