An editorial from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — While it can be argued that some good has come out of U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz’s visit to West Virginia, it is also a visit that is eight years too late.
Thousands of coal miners in West Virginia, and neighboring Virginia, have lost their jobs over the past eight years as a result of the anti-coal policies of the Obama administration.
Many coal mines have closed, and others have filed for bankruptcy, and a number of related manufacturing companies that have long served the coal industry have also been forced to either downsize or close their doors as a result of the industry downtown.
He also attempted to suggest that natural gas is the lone culprit in coal’s decline.
Really? Does Moniz expect anyone in the hard-hit coalfield counties to believe that statement? When, in fact, new emission standards mandated by the Obama administration have made it nearly impossible to operate coal-fired power plants.
The fact that Moniz waited until the waning months of President Obama’s elected term to visit hard-hit West Virginia also is unfortunate.
Area lawmakers have been asking for years for key members of the Obama administration to visit the Mountain State, and to meet first-hand with those coal miners and their families who are suffering as a result of losing their jobs. Why come now — three months before the presidential election?
Much of the discussion focused on the potential of clean-coal technology for the future. Moniz also toured Longview Power’s coal-fired plant Monday outside Morgantown — a good first step, but still hundreds of miles away from hard-hit southern West Virginia.
“Coal is an abundant, affordable and reliable energy source,” Manchin said. “It is important that the administration focus on leading the way in the development of clean-coal technology that we can use and export to China and India, nations that will continue to use coal for over half of their energy needs over the next 20 years.”
“Coal is an important part of America’s energy security today and it must be a part of our energy future,” U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., added. “The goal of our policies should not be to harm sectors of the energy industry that use fossil fuels, but instead develop ways to use them cleanly and efficiently. Investing in clean-coal technology will not only help strengthen our economy by creating new jobs, it will allow us to become more energy efficient and competitive on the world stage.”
We agree.
There must be a renewed discussion on the national stage about the benefits of clean-coal technology.
But given the track record of the Obama administration, it is doubtful that Moniz’s visit to the Mountain State will make much of a difference when it comes to coal, and clean-coal technology, in the final months of the Obama administration. His visit is too little, too late.
