Letter to Elected Officials Regarding the

Cardin-Alexander Mountaintop Mining Bill

 

December 3, 2009 

To:       Senator Robert C. Byrd

            Senator Jay Rockefeller

            Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito

           Congressman Nick Rahall

            Congressman Allan Mollohan

            Governor Joe Manchin

Re:  S-696 (Mountaintop Mining Bill)

We understand that Senators Alexander (R-Tenn) and Cardin (D-Md) are once again attempting to move SB 696, otherwise known as the “Mountaintop Mining Bill,” out of committee and to a vote in the U.S. Senate.

As you know, this bill has the potential to severely impact not only mining but all economic development across Appalachia. 

We urge you to contact Senators Alexander and Cardin and ask them to withdraw this bill and abandon their effort for the sake of the 50,000 West Virginia families whose livelihoods depend on coal.

Coal mining and the production of energy are major economic drivers for our state.  Collectively, they are responsible for thousands of good paying jobs, more than 70 percent of all business taxes and a secure revenue stream for all fifty-five counties and local governments. These dollars support educational and much-needed government programs for seniors and the less fortunate. 

On a statewide basis, surface mining and mountaintop mining methods account for over 40 percent of our state’s total tonnage produced on an annual basis, but in several regions or counties, it represents over 75% of all mining and thus, all revenues generated from mining activity. So, it is clear that surface mining and mountain top mining are extremely important to our energy portfolio and states financial stability.

On the surface, S-696, appears to be aimed at “mountaintop mining”, an objective we would strongly opppose, and method of mining we would defend on its own merits (again, it represents a large segment of our industry and state’s economy). 

Additionally, you simply cannot single out one form of mining without having severe unintentional (or maybe “intentional” consequences). As written, S-696 includes all forms of mining which have “valley fills”.  By definition, that accounts for every form of mining in our state, and well as KY and VA. including underground mines. 

Plainly and simply put, S-696 completely removes coal from all forms of mining from the energy mix. 

You simply cannot disturb the geology within our steep slope or mountainous region without valley fills.  The same is true for any type of major development or construction including road construction within this same region.

Valley fills involve placing natural rock and dirt in ravines or dry ditches (natural crevices) that only pass water during some form of a precipitation event.

A valley fill is a carefully engineered structure. It is designed to secure natural material in the earth’s natural formation. Their construction is safe, environmentally sound and secure.  The material placed in the fill is the same material that was there prior to mining i.e. natural rock & dirt.  The water continues to trickle through fill construction just as it did before mining – through the same material through the same location.

We have a responsible and productive industry. We have an industry that provides good-paying, high quality jobs to the people of Appalachia. We have a resource that can provide the means for our country to be truly energy independent and end our dependence on foreign oil.  And we have a region that depends on this industry for everything from lighting our homes to building our schools and providing the developable land needed for our future.

For these reasons and many more, we respectfully ask that you contact Senators Alexander and Cardin and ask that they abandon this misdirected assault on West Virginia families and our economic security.

Sincerely Yours,

Chris Hamilton, Co Chair                                                                             

Roger Horton, Co-Chair

Governor to host Annual Energy Summit

West Virginia’s Commitment to Energy Security

Hosted By:

West Virginia Governor’s Office

West Virginia Department of Commerce

Southern States Energy Board

Stonewall Resort- Roanoke, West Virginia

December 8, 2009

A G E N D A

8:00 a.m.         Registration & Continental Breakfast   (Stonewall Ballroom)

8:30 a.m.         Welcome & Introduction of Governor Joe Manchin III

                        Kelley Goes, Secretary, West Virginia Department of Commerce

8:35 a.m.         Governor’s Remarks

                        The Honorable Joe Manchin III,  Governor of West Virginia

Video Welcome

                        The Honorable Jay Rockefeller,  United States Senator

9:00 a.m.         KEYNOTE SPEAKER  – “Coal is the Cornerstone of Our Energy Future”

                        Dr. Frank Clemente, Professor, Penn State University

9:30 a.m.         “Energy from a Wall Street Perspective”

                        Bob Percopo, Executive Vice President, Global Marine & Energy        

9:45 a.m.         West Virginia Hydrogen Fueling Station

                        Dr. Al Unione, Vice President, Parsons Engineering

                        Monica Murphy, General Motors

10:00 a.m.       Break

10:15 a.m.       Project Updates:

•  “Carbon Sequestration of the Mountaineer Plant,” by  Gary O. Spitznogle, Manager – Mountaineer Carbon Capture &  Storage, IGCC & CCS Engineering, American Electric Power
• “TransGas” by  Adam Victor, President, TransGas Development Systems
•  “West Virginia Smart Grid Technology Innovation”, by Rodney Dickens, President, Allegheny Energy and Pat Esposito, President, Augusta Systems                       

11:15 a.m.       “Longview – A Merchant Coal Plant”

Charles Huguenard, Vice President & General Manager, Longview Power, LLC

11:30 a.m.       Natural Gas Developments:

• “Opportunities & Challenges Associated with Marcellus Shale”,  by Dave Spigelmyer, Chesapeake Energy
• “West Virginia Natural Gas Infrastructure Projects”, by Jim Crews, Columbia Gas Transmission

12:00 Noon     Lunch

12:45 p.m.       Renewable Energy Developments in West Virginia:

• “Wind Power,” by Rob Alsop of Jackson Kelly
• [Biomass] “Duke Power’s Low Carbon Strategy Initiatives for West Virginia”,  Donna Robichaud, Vice President – Business Origination, Commercial Policy and Strategic Initiatives Duke Power and Joe Kelly, Business Development ADAGE (AREVA Duke Advanced Green Energy)
• “Hydropower”, by David Barnhart, General Manager  Brookfield Renewable Power

 

1:45 p.m.         “The Eastern Interconnect”

                        Jon McKinney, Commissioner, West Virginia Public Service Commission

                        Mike Kormos, Senior Vice President of Operations, PJM

2:00 p.m.         “Surface Mining in West Virginia”

Chris Hamilton, Senior Vice President, West Virginia Coal Association

2:15 p.m.         “Status of Carbon Management in Fossil Electric Generation”

John Wimer, Director – Systems Division, National Energy Technology Laboratory

2:30 p.m.         “An Environmental Challenge”

                         Allan Tweddle

2:45 p.m.         “Impact of Cap & Trade on West Virginia”

                        Dr. Randy Childs, Research Assistant Professor –  Bureau of Business and Economic Research,  West Virginia University

3:00 p.m.         “Southern States Energy Board – An Invitation”

                        Kenneth J. Nemeth, Executive Director, Southern States Energy Board

3:10 p.m.         Wrap-Up

                        The Honorable Joe Manchin III, Governor of West Virginia

Manchin’s Letter regarding NC anti-coal legislation

Dear Gov. Perdue,

I am writing to share my concerns about House Bill 340.

As I am sure you are aware, coal mining and the production of energy are a critical part of West Virginia’s economy. The mining and energy production industries not only employ thousands of West Virginians, they also generate the majority of business taxes and create revenue for all 55 of our counties.

Surface mining and mountaintop mining account for more than 40 percent of our state’s total tonnage of coal mined each year, and in some counties as much as 75 percent.  Clearly, surface mining and mountaintop mining are not just a large part of our energy portfolio, they are also a significant part of our state’s economy.

As governor, I’m certainly aware of some of the criticisms of mountaintop mining and the environmental and societal issues that have been raised about this practice of mining. Unfortunately, I also believe that there are often mischaracterizations of this type of extraction that do not take into account the post-mine development that is possibly on former mining sites, or the responsible reclamation work that is required by state and federal law.

That said, I also strongly believe that we can do a better job of the way we mine coal and we are making steady progress in that regard.

Currently we are working on a post-mine land use bill that requires a master land use plan incorporating post-mine land use needs so that the location of a surface mine operation can be converted into an economically viable us following its closure. Viable post-mining land use needs include renewable and alternative energy uses, industrial, commercial, agricultural, public and recreational uses.

If you consider West Virginia’s topography, particularly in the southern part of the state, there is very little usable land for economic and community development, including sites such as schools, housing developments, industrial sites, shopping centers and recreational areas. If we have proper land use management plans in place,, such as that for which I’m advocating, we can not only mine the coal we need to power our nation, but we also can continue to create jobs for West Virginia miners, keep our mining communities economically viable and build for the future after mining is complete.

Let me assure you, as governor and as an outdoorsman, I join thousands of miners and mine managers who take great pride in their work and in the attention to environmental stewardship of our beautiful state. There’s a delicate balance between the economy and the environment and we are all working hard to maintain that balance. Each day, we work harder.

Throughout our history, North Carolina and West Virginia have shared much through commerce and trade. Together, both our states have prospered and I am hopeful that we will always maintain that exchange, from tourism to furniture and from energy to automobiles.

I cannot overstate the importance of these coal mining jobs to our state, nor the importance of affordable and reliable energy to our nation. For all these reasons, I ask that you stop further consideration of House Bill 340. The potential negative impacts of this bill far outweigh its benefits.

I would also like to invite you to visit West Virginia soon to experience our tremendous recreation and tourism opportunities. And while you are here, please take a closer look at the coal mining industry and speak with the men and women who work to provide our states with the low-cost energy source on which we rely.

Sincerely,

Gov. Joe Manchin III