National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn made the following comments on a legislative proposal unveiled today by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Rep. David Whitfield (R-Ky.) for controlling greenhouse gas emissions from coal-based power plants:
“The Manchin-Whitfield discussion draft for greenhouse gas regulations would ensure that regulatory standards from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are based on technology that is proven and commercially available for use by coal-based power plants. This bi-partisan approach, from both houses of Congress, goes a long way toward addressing the serious concerns with EPA’s new plant rule that have been expressed by utility companies, coal companies, labor unions and power industry vendors and equipment suppliers.
“Senator Manchin and Representative Whitfield have recognized what EPA has so far ignored: proposed technology standards for new coal plants will drastically affect generating capacity that today provides 40 percent of the nation’s electricity, more than any other energy source. By setting the benchmark for new coal plants on commercially available, best-in-class technology, this legislation would allow for coal – and hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports – to remain a vital part of the nation’s economy while ensuring continued environmental progress from the utility sector.
“We urge their Senate and House colleagues to give careful consideration to this approach, one that strikes a much-need balance that is sadly missing in today’s regulatory discussion.”