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Great Expectations

January 11, 2017 In the political world, as in the real one, we often experience a frustrating disparity between expectation and reality. The incoming administration and the 115th Congress may prove to be the exception. At least with respect to major regulations that have hamstrung the coal industry. Early signs suggest that House and Senate […]

NMA Condemns Administration’s Politically Contrived Coal Lease Policies as Damaging to Jobs, Communities and Taxpayers

Days before leaving office, the Obama administration has once again advocated policies designed solely to destroy America’s coal industry in the face of a political referendum favoring good jobs and affordable energy. Instead of the open and honest conversation promised by the administration on federal coal leasing policies, today’s report predetermines outcomes before the program […]

Obama’s EPA Chief Says Biggest Regret Is Not Connecting With Rural Voters

Via The Daily Caller: Not being able to sell rural voters on the importance of switching from fossil fuels to solar and wind power is Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Gina McCarthy’s biggest regret, she said Friday. “We tried to change the outreach and messaging in rural America in a number of ways, but … […]

Congress Can Act to Help Miners Survive a Regulatory Onslaught

Via The Roanoke Times: Quinn is President and CEO of the National Mining Association. On the way out the door, the Obama administration just threw one more regulatory punch at America’s coal miners. Just days before Christmas, the outgoing administration published its extreme stream rule in order to guarantee it will take effect the day […]

Lawmakers Begin Process of Striking Down Stream Rule

Via E&E Publishing: Congressional Republicans and other pro-coal lawmakers are swiftly lining up to strike down the Obama administration’s new Stream Protection Rule. Reps. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) and Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) each put forward resolutions this week to block the Interior Department’s new restrictions on coal mining near waterways released last month. Both Jenkins’ H.J. […]

Job-Crushing Regulations Trump Can Gut on Day One

Via Lifezette: Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, pending confirmation, will soon hold one of the most vital posts in President-Elect Donald Trump’s administration to restoring job growth in much of the nation. Pruitt, nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency, will be the focus of intense criticism from Democrats during his confirmation hearings. “There has to be attention […]

U.S. Mines Complete Safest Year Ever, Besting Last Year’s Record

2016 marks the safest year ever for American miners. Together, coal mines and metal/non-metal mines last year recorded the lowest fatality and injury rates in the history of U.S. mining – a sign of continuous improvement for an industry that saw a record low the previous year. The official figures, issued recently by the U.S. […]

A Recipe for Winning Back Working America

January 4, 2017 Congress returned this week just in time for official Washington to digest a famous chef’s recipe for winning back the voters they lost. It’s surprising that this prescient election post mortem should come from the kitchen rather than the green room, but then we’ve all been numbed to surprise by now. Anthony […]

Congress Must Act Quickly to Axe Stream Rule

Via The Montana Standard: On the way out the door, the Obama administration just threw one more regulatory punch at America’s coal miners. Just days before Christmas, the outgoing administration published its extreme stream rule in order to guarantee it will take effect the day before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office. This 1,640-page […]

New Year, New Hope

December 29, 2016 In old Europe, people ushered in the new year by emptying their chamber pots into the street. Not to put to fine a point on it, but something akin to this exuberant house cleaning is occurring in this town. Men and women with a radically different take on the country’s energy industry […]