State of West Virginia Archives: on Energy & Oil
Jim Justice:
Promote new uses for central Appalachian coal
DON'T GIVE UP ON OUR ENERGY SECTOR- Promote new uses for coal. Find chemical and mineral advantages for central Appalachian coal. Then market that strength.
- Cultivate new markets for our natural gas.
-
Rekindle a better marketing strategy for our quality metallurgical coal to the world.
- Incentivize our power plants to use only West Virginia coal.
Source: 2016 W.V. governor campaign website JusticeForWV.com
Nov 16, 2015
Alex Mooney:
No cap-&-trade; no war on coal; no job-destroying EPA burden
Energy and Obama's War on Coal: President Obama has made no secret of his disdain for the coal industry. His radical policies and the increasingly burdensome regulations imposed by his administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are destroying
jobs and hurting West Virginia families.West Virginia has a long and rich history of providing energy to the rest of the nation, and I will do everything in my power to defeat President Obama's EPA and support West Virginia's proud coal industry.
In addition, I will oppose other radical energy regulations, like President Obama's proposed cap-and-trade plan that will increase the cost of energy and impose a de facto energy tax on every family in the United States.
Finally, I support expanding the development of our natural energy resources in the United States to increase our domestic energy supply and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Source: 2014 W.V. House campaign website, MooneyForCongress.com
Nov 4, 2014
Evan Jenkins:
Fight tooth & nail against the War on Coal
Pres. Obama and his EPA are waging a War on Coal, and Evan will fight it tooth and nail. He'll strongly oppose Obama's cap-and-trade scheme, a carbon tax and job-killing EPA regulations. Evan understands that in West Virginia, coal is not just our
economic lifeblood--it makes us who we are. In the state legislature, Jenkins has supported numerous measures to protect the health, safety and pensions of W.V. coal miners, and he is firmly opposed to any cuts to the Federal Black Lung Benefit Program.
Source: 2014 W.V. House campaign website, EvanJenkins.com
Nov 4, 2014
John Buckley:
Let market decide about green energy
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Prioritize green energy"?
A: No, the free market should be allowed to price the various options for energy production and distribution.
Source: Email interview on 2014 W.V. Senate race with OnTheIssues
Sep 5, 2014
Natalie Tennant:
Coal will play vital role in West Virginia's bright future
Natalie Tennant met with EPA officials in Washington and urged better communication between that agency, the coal industry, and West Virginia citizens. Secretary Tennant said, "People are concerned about the future of coal, and they don't know what the
EPA has planned. I felt it was necessary to convey these questions and make it clear just how uncertain West Virginians are about the future of the coal industry. What I want to see is better communication toward resolving a lot of unanswered questions
and a lot of mistrust. Given the lack of communication and outreach from the EPA, it is hardly surprising that people in West Virginia have assumed the worst about the EPA."I believe West Virginia has a very bright future and coal will play
a vital role in that. Unfortunately, the EPA under President Obama has been too secretive. The agency's leadership made little attempt to communicate with our citizens--especially those being adversely affected by its decisions."
Source: W.V. Secretary of State website
Aug 1, 2013
Joe Manchin III:
I fought for coal in past & will fight for coal in future
The coal industry in West Virginia was another big topic during the debate. Raese said the decline of coal was all because of the Obama administration, which Manchin was a part of.
Manchin disagreed and said he has fought for coal in the past and will continue to fight for coal in the future.
Source: West Virginia MetroNews on 2012 W.V. Senate debate
Oct 3, 2012
Joe Manchin III:
EPA regulatory practices unfairly hurt Appalachian coal
Raese aggressively criticized the Obama administration on coal regulations, and environmental policy. He also wants to cut some federal programs that currently regulate the environment. "The Obama administration has been regulating coal out of existence.
Try to get a permit today, if you can," Raese said. "He doesn't want to burn fossil fuels, he's making coal priced so high that it's not competitive anymore," he said, "I'd like to abolish the Department of Energy, and I would also like to abolish the
EPA. I think they are both redundant."Manchin says all energy resources in the country should be developed, to stop dependence on foreign oil. He says regulatory practices from the Environmental Protection Agency are unfairly hurting
Appalachian coal mining. But he says a balance must be drawn to protect both industry and environmental interests. "There's a balance to be had, the economy and the environment has to work together," Manchin said.
Source: West Virginia Public Broadcasting on 2012 W.V. Senate debate
Oct 3, 2012
John Raese:
Obama administration has caused decline of coal
The coal industry in West Virginia was another big topic during the debate. Raese said the decline of coal was all because of the Obama administration, which Manchin was a part of.
Manchin disagreed and said he has fought for coal in the past and will continue to fight for coal in the future.
Source: West Virginia MetroNews on 2012 W.V. Senate debate
Oct 3, 2012
Joe Manchin III:
2010 ad: Shot a hole in the cap and trade bill
West Virginia's incumbent senator, Joe Manchin, recently said he's not sure he'll even vote for Obama. West Virginia is not exactly a swing state--Obama lost it by 13 points in 2008--and Manchin's political brand is predicated on this type
of cheeky partisan heresy. In an ad for his 2010 campaign, he raised a rifle and shot a hole in a pile of paper labeled "cap and trade bill." (That was a special election to replace the late Sen. Robert Byrd, so Manchin has to run again this year.)
Source: Molly Ball in The Atlantic on 2012 W.V. Senate debates
May 8, 2012
Earl Ray Tomblin:
We should be looking for more ways to use coal, not less
We all know that coal keeps the lights on. But we cannot forget--or let others ignore--that it is vital to the economic security of our country to utilize West Virginia's natural resources. In these tough economic times, we should be looking for more way
to use coal, not less. It is hard to understand why some people want to turn their back on and vilify such an important resource that has such potential--and a proven track record--for our country.Do not misunderstand my message--the fact that coal ha
such a positive impact does not mean that we should turn a blind eye to safety or environmental concerns. I firmly believe that we can mine coal in an environmentally safe manner. And, I firmly believe that we will develop ways to burn coal in a carbon-
friendly manner.
I intend to aggressively pursue our State's lawsuit against the EPA. We should be working together to solve our nation's energy problems--not taking dogmatic approaches that turn a blind eye to any form of reasonable regulation.
Source: 2011 W.V. State of the State Address
Jan 12, 2011
Earl Ray Tomblin:
Develop natural gas from the Marcellus Shale
West Virginia's economic future lies not only in its continued use of coal as a resource. Lying just a mile below the surface of much of our State is a rock formation called the Marcellus Shale. This formation is rich in natural gas and new technology
and techniques have made access possible for the oil and gas industry. The development of the Marcellus Shale formation for natural gas production is an economic development opportunity for the State, and we need to embrace it! Billions of dollars of
private capital have already been invested in this activity and with it has come many jobs.
For example, today Dominion announced its intention to build a natural gas processing facility. This project will allow for significant development
opportunities in West Virginia. And it is not only about the production of natural gas. The development of the Marcellus Shale has the potential to restart the manufacturing industry in West Virginia. It is an opportunity that we simply cannot let go by.
Source: 2011 W.V. State of the State Address
Jan 12, 2011
John Raese:
Global warming is a myth
Raese spent too much time pandering to Republican party lines: decrying President Barack Obama, using the term "Obamacare" and calling global warming a myth.
Source: Daily Athenaeum coverage of 2010 W.V. Senate debate
Oct 18, 2010
Joe Manchin III:
Obama's greenhouse gas plan won't solve the problem
Raese has accused Manchin of creating a state "mini cap-and-trade" program by convincing lawmakers last year to pass legislation requiring 25% of the energy used in the state to come from alternative and renewable resources. Manchin also was highly
critical of attempts by the Obama administration to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, saying the path it was taking wasn't going to solve the problem. But technology that could allow the U.S. to continue using coal while minimizing
CO2--known as carbon capture and storage--is years, if not decades, away from large-scale use, if it proves practical at all. And scientific organizations such as the United Nations' Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change say immediate action needs to be taken if the worst consequences of global warming are to be prevented.
Source: State Journal coverage of 2010 W.V. Senate debate
Oct 7, 2010
John Raese:
Hands-off approach to energy production
Raese has accused Manchin of creating a state "mini cap-and-trade" program by convincing lawmakers last year to pass legislation requiring 25% of the energy used in the state to come from alternative and renewable resources.
Raese said that would result in using less coal, but critics, including those in the coal industry, pointed out a large part of that target can be met by using "clean coal" technologies, such as carbon capture and storage. Regardless,
Raese said the federal government should take a hands-off approach to energy production. "We are the only country that legislates through laws to keep our natural resources in the ground," he said. "I find that fascinating."
Manchin also was highly critical of attempts by the Obama administration to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, saying the path it was taking wasn't going to solve the problem.
Source: State Journal coverage of 2010 W.V. Senate debate
Oct 7, 2010
Page last updated: Oct 14, 2021