Rogers Demands Answers from EPA Administrator

In case you missed it, Kentucky Fifth District Congressman Hal Rogers took EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to task for the wrong-headed and out-of-control actions of her agency in the Obama/EPA 'War on Coal'.

EPA's Clean Air ruling lashes coal-producing Kentucky

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency's declaration Monday that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions endanger the public's health could deeply impact Kentucky's multimillion-dollar coal economy.

The announcement, which comes as an historic climate change conference gets underway in Copenhagen, could set the groundwork for broader cap-and-trade policies in the United State — the kinds of policies the state's coal companies and most of the state's congressional delegation have long tried to block.

“What his arbitrary administrative edict would do is what Congress has refused to do statutorily — tell coal-burning utilities how much, or little, coal can be burned,” said Rep. Hal Rogers, a Republican. “It could prove devastating to Kentucky’s coal industry and cause havoc to our working men and women of eastern Kentucky.”

Meanwhile, Kentucky environmentalists lauded the EPA’s announcement as a first step toward addressing global warming and curbing pollution.

For the full story click here.

A Step in the Right Direction: Commerce Lexington Changes Policy to Pro-Coal

For the first time, Commerce Lexington--the business organization that promotes business issues in the greater Lexington, Kentucky area--acknowledged the positive impact that coal has had not only for the Bluegrass Region, but the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky.

In part to a response to calls from WTUK Radio and on-air personality Randy Walters, in Harlan, Commerce Lexington changed its 2010 policy statement to a strongly-worded statement acknowledging the importance of coal and calling pending energy legislation the "most immediate threat to Kentucky's business climate" while further stating the group’s efforts to "protect the viability of Kentucky's coal industry".

What brought about this positive revelation was an October trip to East Kentucky organized by Commerce Lexington of nearly 70 business leaders from the Bluegrass Region.

Given the fact that millions of dollars from East Kentucky patrons are spent in the Lexington area each and every year, it is refreshing to see the business community speak up for itself and let the people in East Kentucky know that the Lexington Herald-Leader Editorial Board does not set policy for the Lexington business community. The change in policy to a more pro-coal position is just the first step. Now, action must be taken that demonstrates a long-term commitment to keep the business from East Kentucky coming to Lexington and the Bluegrass Region.

A great next step would be for Commerce Lexington to get behind a long overdue improvement and that is to upgrade and improve the Mountain Parkway to a main transportation artery to central Kentucky.

The proverbial saying that people vote with their pocketbooks aptly applies in this case. With competition come options. And, for the people of East Kentucky, improved transportation networks throughout the East Kentucky region give people options. Major business centers in Ashland, Kentucky; Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia; Johnson City, Bristol (Virginia), and Kingsport, Tennessee; and, Knoxville, Tennessee are options for starters that provide a diverse dining, shopping, and entertainment experience. In terms of available healthcare and other business opportunities, these regional business centers provide as much or more than the Bluegrass Region. Geographically, with the improved transportation network, the cities are closer and easier to travel to than Lexington.

Lexington must continue to earn the dollar of the people of East Kentucky through action in support of coal and the cheap electricity it provides industry, including Toyota, in central Kentucky. Without this long-term commitment, Lexington will suffer from the people of East Kentucky voting to do business where their region is appreciated.

A great next step would be for Commerce Lexington to get behind a long overdue improvement and that is to upgrade and improve the Mountain Parkway to a main transportation artery to central Kentucky. The expansion of the Parkway to a four-lane with multiple access points to Hazard, Paintsville, Pikeville, and Prestonsburg--all major centers of population and business in East Kentucky. This expansion would truly connect the Commonwealth and make us whole as a state. Commerce Lexington can be a voice of support for this effort and make the strong case that it will strengthen their business and industry; that it is vital to the long-term well-being of the Bluegrass Region.

And, let us not have the silly notion advanced that we need to put toll-roads on the Parkway. We have paid enough in coal severance tax and sales tax that more than makes up for the nearly 50 years of a lack completed East-West transportation artery to the Bluegrass Region. Some politicians, in an effort to grab headlines, promote this idea of toll-roads, but that's an insult to the people of East Kentucky. Sadly, it comes from some of our own politicians who think of themselves more than long-term solutions.

Now is the time to seize the day and have a solid partnership between the business community in East Kentucky and Central Kentucky. Let's take the next best step: complete the Mountain Parkway. Show your true support for coal and for East Kentucky is more than words.

East Kentucky awaits your answer.

A Message from Eastern Coal Council and National Mining Association

From Barbara Altizer at the Eastern Coal Council and the National Mining Association:

Please click on the link below and let the Senators know how you feel about the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill. Click to sign the petition on this link.

Sign the Petition because it:

• Cost jobs in my community,
• Unfairly place new cost burdens on families in select states while people living in most wealthy states pay nothing,
• Further hurt the U.S. economy, and
• Jeopardize our energy security

Coal Counties' Unemployment Less Than Non-Coal Counties

Obviously the coal market's taken quite a hit in recent months. Layoffs have severely hit many communities. That being said, coal gets the blame for almost all woes in EKY (mainly by those who don't live in EKY, but who instead reside in places like Berea and Lexington where they profess their undying love for these hills). So we thought it'd be nice to look at how coal counties and other counties are faring in this recession.

The highest unemployment in the state is in Magoffin County, a coal county, true, but at only 400+ workers according to the latest census data, it's certainly on the lower end of the spectrum. It registered a whopping 19.6% unemployment.

Jackson County, an even more marginal coal county, followed at 17%. It had just under 100 coal miners according to recent census info.

Powell and Bath counties follow. Neither are coal counties. Then there's Grayson, which isn't in EKY, and Lewis that is. Again, neither county is a coal county.

So what should we take from this? First, folks who try to argue that Coal = Weak Economies are simply wrong. Poverty and unemployment in EKY are complicated cultural subjects and defy easy, neo-Marxist rationales. Secondly, on the face of it one can argue the opposite: the coal counties, even in a down coal economy, are holding their own against non coal counties.

Link:
www.beloblog.com/WHAS_Blogs/PoliticalBlogger/2009/08/which-ky-county-has-19-unemplo.html

Cross Posted at Cyberhillbilly.com