Proud coal mining families have dotted parts of the Eastern United States since the Industrial Revolution began. But President Obama doesn’t seem to care.
So says Larry Kudlow and Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, (R-WV).
They argue that the President, driven by an extreme environmental lobby, is making it impossible for thousands of families who rely on the coal industry to make ends meet.
"Obama has said if you build a new coal plant we’re going to bankrupt you,” explained Capito on The Kudlow Report.
New EPA regulations introduced by the Obama White House limit the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by power plants; the new rules make the use of cleaner burning natural gas more desirable than coal.
However, Capito, Kudlow and other members of the GOP see the regulation as terrible burden on local economies. They blame Obama for the 1200 job cuts just announced by Alpha Natural Resources which will result in eight mine closings in Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Kevin Crutchfield, the company’s chief executive officer, said candidly the lay-offs are, in part, the result of "a regulatory environment that's aggressively aimed at constraining the use of coal."
“Obama is picking winners and losers and my state, West Virginia will lose a lot,” said Capito to Larry Kudlow.
It appears events are turning into a campaign issue. A new ad from Mitt Romney, scheduled to air in coal-producing states, says the U.S. should embrace its coal resources. A miner says in the ad, “Obama’s ruining the coal industry.”
The White House counters that the “administration believes that coal is and will remain an important part of the nation's energy mix for decades to come.” The administration also said it has provided billions of dollars to support clean-coal technology.
Tune in:
"The Kudlow Report" airs weeknights at 7 p.m. ET.
