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The federal government is considering whether to take away Arch Coal’s right to produce coal at its Spruce site in Logan County.
By Dan Page
This is an era of government overreach.
We see it almost every day. Government tells us what we can and cannot do with our property and lives. Perhaps no agency has sought to expand its power more zealously than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, especially during the presidency of Barack Obama.
(By Senators Tomblin (Mr. President), Bowman, Browning, Chafin, Edgell, D. Facemire, Fanning, Foster, Green, Helmick, Jenkins, Kessler, Laird, McCabe, Minard, Oliverio, Palumbo, Plymale, Prezioso, Snyder, Stollings, Unger, Wells, White, Williams, Yost, Barnes, Boley, Caruth, Deem, K. Facemyer, Guills, Hall and Sypolt)
Expressing the will of the Senate to continue its support of the West Virginia coal industry and requesting that West Virginia's congressional delegation resist and oppose efforts to undermine the future of West Virginia coal.
Whereas, The coal industry provides salaries and benefits to thousands of West Virginians; and
Whereas, The coal industry is responsible for millions of dollars of tax revenues that are used to fund important government services and programs; and
Whereas, The coal industry is vitally important to the economic welfare of this state and its citizens; and
Whereas, The Legislature, with the leadership and support of the Governor, has worked to enact legislation to ensure the future of West Virginia coal, including the adoption of sweeping coal mine safety reforms, planning requirements for post-mining land use, an alternative and renewable energy portfolio featuring advanced coal technology and a regulatory framework for carbon capture and sequestration projects; and
Whereas, Recent events at the federal level, most notably the debate over "cap and trade" legislation in Congress and obscure regulatory actions by the Environmental Protection Agency, are casting a shadow of doubt and uncertainty over the future of the coal industry in West Virginia; and
Whereas, For the sake of those individuals who depend upon coal to support themselves and their families, the House of Delegates, the Senate, the Governor and West Virginia's congressional delegation must work together to secure the future of the coal industry and with it the future of the state; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby expresses its will to continue its support of the West Virginia coal industry and requests that West Virginia's congressional delegation resist and oppose efforts to undermine the future of West Virginia coal; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Senate will continue to support the West Virginia coal industry by encouraging measures that protect miners and their families, provide incentives for the development of advanced coal technologies, enhance the energy independence of the state and the nation, protect the environment from which coal is mined and supply consumers with cleaner and more affordable energy produced from coal; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Senate requests that West Virginia's congressional delegation resist and oppose efforts at the federal level to undermine the future of West Virginia's coal industry; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to United States Senators Robert C. Byrd and John D. Rockefeller IV and Representatives Nick J. Rahall, Alan B. Mollohan and Shelley M. Capito.
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
At Charleston
A PROCLAMATION
By the Governor
I, .JOE MANCHIN III, GOVERNOR of the State of West Virginia, by virtue of
the authority vested in me by Section 7, Article VII of the Constitution of West Virginia,
do hereby AMEND my Proclamation dated the thirteenth day of November, two
thousand nine, calling the Legislature of \Vest Virginia to convene in Extraordinary
Session at one o'clock postmeridian on the seventeenth day of Novenlber, two thousand
nine, in its chambers in the State Capitol, City of Charleston, by amendiFlg the ninth item
thereof and by including a thirteenth item, all to read as follows:
NINTH: Legislation relating to definitions and the tracking of credits
awarded under the Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act; limiting the use of
supercritical technology to qualitY as advanced coal technology for the purpose of
determining credits; allowing the use of advanced supercritical techno16gy to qualify as
advanced coal technology tor the purpose of determining credits; allowing the Public
Service Commission to certify additional advanced coal technologies; allowing credits
lor certain energy efficiency and demand-side projects; maintaining the confidentiality of
certain credit pricing data; allowing the Public Service COlnmission to coordinate with
certain entities to track and award credits; allowing credits for certain energy efficiency
and demand-side projects undertaken pursuant to federal requirements;, and requiring a
study of the economic impacts of the Alternative and Renewable EnergyPorttolio Act on
coal and coal mining.
THIRTEENTH: A resolution supporting the West Virginia Coal industry.
IN "VITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great
Seal of the State of \Vest Virginia to be affixed.
DONE at the Capitol in the City of
Charleston, State of West Virginia, this
nineteenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord, Two Thousand Nine, and in the
One Hundred Forty-Seventh year of the
State.
By the Governor
SECRETARY OF STATE
Friends of Coal Ladies Auxiliary
Giving Hearts
The holiday season will be soon be upon us and the Ladies Auxiliary would like to take the opportunity to provide gifts to twenty (20) Raleigh County families in need.
Below is a brief outline of our Giving Hearts Project;
September 23, 2008
Dear
Our organization is interested in volunteering in our community by visiting the local hospitals and nursing homes.
We have a small stuffed dog which the coal companies have funded for our project that we have named Mr. Coal. We would like to have your permission to visit children and elderly in your facility and present them with this gift. Our members realize how meaningful it can be to these patients to realize that someone cares and wants to briefly visit them.
If you are willing to participate in this program, please reply to the above address or call Regina Fairchild. We will arrange for our visits at whatever schedule works best for your patients.
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Regina Fairchild
Chairwoman