Great news from the Beckley, West Virginia Register-Herald
Federal judge rules in favor of coal companies in EPA battle
A federal judge in West Virginia ruled Monday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must comply with a federal code requiring the agency to evaluate the impact of its air pollution regulations on jobs.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey agreed with Murray Energy Corporation and its subsidiaries that the EPA's actions have caused harm to coal mining communities.
“In this case, the plaintiffs have alleged that the actions of the EPA have had a coercive effect on the power generating industry, essentially forcing them to discontinue the use of coal," the ruling said. "This Court finds these allegations sufficient to show that the injuries claimed by the plaintiffs are fairly traceable to the earlier actions of the EPA."
The EPA argued any injury caused to the plaintiffs would only be traceable to earlier EPA actions, not the failure of the EPA to conduct evaluations of job loss, but Judge Bailey disagreed.
The civil action suit said the plaintiffs combined employ more than 7,200 workers and comprise the largest underground coal mining operation in the U.S. The plaintiffs allege the EPA's actions have caused a reduced market for coal, which has threatened the economic vitality of the companies and their employees.
Good! It is time to punch back twice as hard on those who would demonize coal. Raw, it is dirty and when burned in an uncontrolled manner will release a lot of toxins. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the heyday of the steel mills and the atmosphere was palpably dirty. There are now clean ways to use coal. No reason to limit its use - it is abundant and cheap.
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