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Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Obama lieutenants open dialogue on coal; Democrats from Central Appalachia want officials to visit

The Obama administration, which has often shied away from talking about coal, has recently been opening the doors to talk about the subject. President Obama said in announcing the greenhouse-gas regulations would be extended to existing power plants that the federal government should help mitigate the economic dislocation that will result.

Last week, administration environmental leaders met with West Virginia Democrats as part of what advocates are calling an increasing dialogue between both sides of the contentious debate, Manuel Quinones reports for Environment & Energy News.  

It's not the first time the administration has tried to open talks with coal supporters and critics. New Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy has met several times with the National Mining Association, and officials of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity have also met with top administration officials, Quinones reports. Kentucky state Rep. Leslie Combs (D-Pikeville) met with a regional EPA director who is now McCarthy's chief of staff, and called for an administration official to visit the troubled Central Appalachian coalfield.

Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) told Quinones last week, "Certainly the doors of communication were opened further than they had been with the previous administrator. (McCarthy) expressed a genuine willingness to listen, not sit in a room and roll her eyes and fidget around like she can't wait to get to the next meeting."

West Virginia's "Sen. Joe Manchin, the only Democrat to vote against McCarthy's confirmation last month, helped organize the meeting and is now calling on the new EPA chief to visit the Mountain State," Quinones reports. Manchin said, "We as a delegation made it clear it was imperative that Ms. McCarthy visit West Virginia to see firsthand the devastating effects that will occur if any new, unobtainable and unreasonable regulations are imposed by the EPA." He said his hope is that EPA will be a "partner rather than a constant adversary." (Read more)

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