July 11, 2014

Manchin Hosts Energy Roundtable with WV Stakeholders in Charleston

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today hosted an energy roundtable with West Virginia state leaders in the coal, gas and utility sectors, as well as state government officials and education representatives. Senator Manchin met with representatives from nearly twenty industry officials and organizations to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new proposed greenhouse gas rule for existing power plants, update participants on his ongoing efforts to find a balance between economic and environmental concerns, and hear from energy leaders across West Virginia.

“West Virginia is blessed to have an abundance of natural resources at our disposal, and we continue to be an energy leader in showing how this state and this country can benefit when we invest in an all-of-the-above energy approach,” Senator Manchin said. “However, for far too long, the EPA has overreached its authority and continues to propose rules that jeopardize the future production of fossil fuels – including coal and natural gas – that currently generate the majority of American electricity. Today’s roundtable discussion focused on the EPA’s new proposed rules and the impacts that limiting carbon emissions from fossil fuel plants can have on our state and our country.

“I have said again and again that the federal government must work as an ally, not as an adversary, when it comes to developing our nation’s energy policies. We need the EPA to develop commonsense solutions that strike a balance between a prosperous economy and a cleaner environment. During our meeting, we discussed the importance of continuing to invest in innovative technologies, including clean coal and natural gas technologies, to ensure our energy supply remains accessible, affordable and reliable for all Americans. Our great country should be a leader in developing the technologies so that we can export them around the world, but it is unreasonable to require the use of technologies that do not yet work on a commercial scale.

“These conversations are important to have and I truly thank all of today’s participants for working together to lead the discussions in finding commonsense solutions that help move West Virginia and this great nation forward.”

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