Energy agenda crushing state | Charleston Daily Mail

On Oct. 23, the Obama administration published its job-killing energy plan that intends to shut down our coal industry.

It is time for Congress to step up and step in. I have always fought for West Virginia, which is why I introduced a resolution with Sen. Mitch McConnell this week to stop these regulations that are hurting our state. This is another battle I am proud to lead against the administration’s demonization of coal.

Never before in our history have we seen something as unreasonable as the Clean Power Plan. These regulations force coal-fired plants to meet emissions standards which simply can’t be achieved, at least not now, even with the most advanced technology.

For new plants, the plan requires carbon capture and storage (CCS), which has not been demonstrated at any commercial scale power plant anywhere in the world. So I’ve said this: if it is unobtainable and unaffordable, it is unreasonable.

Don’t force an industry to shut down because it cannot do something that has never been done. Forcing coal to meet these standards when experts know that the required technology is not sustainably operational on a commercial scale makes absolutely no sense.

The good Lord gave the state of West Virginia and the United States an abundance of natural resources, and throughout our history, we have used these resources, particularly coal, to build and defend the nation.

But now, for the first time, we have an administration that denies just how important coal is to keeping America secure.

Coal continues to be our most reliable source of electricity. And that’s not changing anytime soon. The U.S. will continue to depend on coal for at least the next three decades. Even our own Energy Department says so.

Under the Clean Power Plan, our existing coal fleet would be diminished and adding new coalfired plants would be almost impossible. When the coal-fired plants come off the grid, reliable energy could become a thing of the past.

The nation’s coal-fired power plants currently have an average age of 45 years. Many will need to be replaced in the near future and regulations that prohibit building new coal-fired power plants can soon become a serious issue for the nation’s electricity reliability.

Although the Energy Information Administration still projects 37 percent of electricity generation will come from coal in 2040, the currently operating plants, without new additions, will average 65 years old.

The history of coal plant operations already tells us that coal plants at that age will not achieve the levels of hours of reliable operation required to meet the 2040 forecast. The coal industry must be allowed to add the new coalfired power plant additions, but that need is being blocked by the Clean Power Plan.

And it’s simply shameful that while countries across the world are developing energy plans that include the use of coal, here in America, we are imposing coal-killing regulations.

By 2040, China will get 62 percent of its electricity from coal, India will get 56 percent and developing countries in Southeast Asia will get up to 30 percent. Construction of some 1,200 new coal plants is planned across 59 countries — 363 in China and 455 in India alone.

Implementation of the Clean Power Plan is going to put the U.S. at a tremendous economic disadvantage in the global economy. Instead of focusing on killing coal, the administration should focus on leading the way in the development of clean coal technology.

American ingenuity should be harnessed right now — not restrained — to ensure our future at home and to be a leader for the world.

There is no doubt: this President’s energy agenda has already had a crushing impact on West Virginia and other energy states. Dozens of power plants have already been forced to shut their doors. Thousands of coal miners have lost their jobs.

Just last week, we received word of 220 more workers being laid off at the Pinnacle Mine in Pineville, W.Va.

Enough is enough. As we develop our future energy policies, we must also focus on the livelihood of hard-working miners and families who are responsible for keeping America’s lights on.

So we are not going to stand by. We are going to fight against the Clean Power Plan with all that we got. While I am confident that the legal system will find that the administration greatly exceeded its authority with this destructive rule, I introduced this resolution because we need to show the rest of the country and the rest of the world that we will continue to fight for West Virginia coal.

Because no matter what this current administration tries to say, America needs our coal. The time to act is now.

Manchin, a Democrat, is West Virginia’s senior U.S. Senator.

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