Photo courtesy of The Husband. What you see here is a man operating a roof bolter underground at ICG's mine in Philippi, West Virginia. His wife works for a laboratory that analyzes coal samples for the mining industry. They have two sons.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov 03, 2008 /PRNewswire--USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Mike Carey, president of the Ohio Coal Association (OCA), today issued the following statement in response to just-released remarks from Senator Barack Obama about the nation's coal industry.
"Regardless of the timing or method of the release of these remarks, the message from the Democratic candidate for President could not be clearer: the Obama-Biden ticket spells disaster for America's coal industry and the tens of thousands of Americans who work in it.
"These undisputed, audio-taped remarks, which include comments from Senator Obama like 'I haven't been some coal booster' and 'if they want to build [coal plants], they can, but it will bankrupt them' are extraordinarily misguided.
"It's evident that this campaign has been pandering in states like Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania to attempt to generate votes from coal supporters, while keeping his true agenda hidden from the state's voters.
"Senator Obama has revealed himself to be nothing more than a short- sighted, inexperienced politician willing to say anything to get a vote. But today, the nation's coal industry and those who support it have a better understanding of his true mission, to 'bankrupt' our industry, put tens of thousands out of work and cause unprecedented increases in electricity prices.
"In addition to providing an affordable, reliable source of low-cost electricity, domestic coal holds the key to our nation's long-term energy security - a goal that cannot be overlooked during this time of international instability and economic uncertainty.
"Few policy areas are more important to our economic future than energy issues. As voters head to the polls tomorrow, it is essential they remember that access to reliable, affordable, domestic energy supplies is essential to economic growth and stability."
Source: Ohio Coal Association -- The Ohio Coal Association (OCA) is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of Ohio's underground and surface coal mining producers. The OCA represents nearly 40 coal producing companies and more than 50 Associate Members, which include suppliers and consultants to the mining industry, coal sales agents and brokers and allied industries. The Ohio Coal Association is committed to advancing the development and utilization of Ohio coal as an abundant, economic and environmentally sound energy source.
The Foundry today:
It's Time to Discuss Cap and Trade
This week, beginning today, Waxman and Markey are holding Congressional hearings to discuss the draft of a massive energy bill that includes clean energy investment, energy efficiency mandates, a cap-and-trade program, and protectionist policies that will supposedly help the consumer cope with higher energy prices.
.... all the political celebrities will be there, including former Vice President [and anti-coal radical] Al Gore, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and Secretary of Energy Steve Chu. It isn’t difficult to surmise how these three feel about investing taxpayer dollars in unproven sources of energy while heavily taxing the reliable ones.
Presented as a comprehensive energy bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) offers nothing more than subsidies and mandates for unsuccessful, unproven energy sources coupled with taxes on reliable energy sources. The bill falsely claims to stimulate the economy by investing in clean technology and creating green jobs, but this government-centric approach will only destroy jobs and drive up energy prices for years to come. A more thorough analysis of the provisions can be found here.
Nationally, coal mining generates more than half a million jobs and economic output of $80 billion a year.
In my home state of West Virginia alone, coal mining generates about 13 percent of our gross state product, more than $3.5 billion a year. The average (i.e. non-union) WV coal miner earns more than $62,000 a year (more than twice the state average for all workers). Our representative, Shelley Moore Capito, says that for every one coal mining job in West Virginia, five other jobs are created; and I know in that in some counties it's seven other jobs.
The unemployment rate in our state hit a 10-year-high in March with 7.7 percent - over 60,000 - now unemployed.
Looks like we can kiss "economic growth and stability" goodbye if this bill passes.