Romney Campaign Press Release - Obama's Appalachian War On Coal

"For four years, President Obama has waged a war on coal that has devastated the middle class and American workers. Today's news that the President's policies are killing another 1,200 jobs in states like Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania is just the latest evidence President Obama hasn't delivered for middle-class families. Americans deserve better than what they've received from President Obama over the last four years." — Ryan Williams, Romney Campaign Spokesman

President Obama Has Claimed The Coal Industry Supports "Quality High-Paying Jobs For American Workers":

President Obama: "For Decades, The Coal Industry Has Supported Quality High-Paying Jobs For American Workers..." "For decades, the coal industry has supported quality high-paying jobs for American workers, and coal has provided an important domestic source of reliable, affordable energy. ... Charting a path toward clean coal is essential to achieving my Administration's goals of providing clean energy, supporting American jobs, and reducing emissions of carbon pollution." (President Barack Obama, "Presidential Memorandum -- A Comprehensive Federal Strategy On Carbon Capture And Storage," White House, 2/3/10)

But Today, President Obama's War On Coal Destroyed Another 1,200 Jobs Throughout Coal Country:

Today, Coal Producer Alpha Natural Resources Announced It Will Cut Production By 16 Million Tons And Eliminate 1,200 Jobs.  "Coal producer Alpha Natural Resources said Tuesday it's cutting production by 16 million tons and eliminating 1,200 jobs companywide, including 400 with the immediate closing of eight mines in Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania." (Vicki Smith, "Alpha Closing 8 Mines, Cutting 1,200 Jobs In All," The Associated Press, 9/18/12)

The Layoffs Represent "Nearly A Tenth Of Alpha's 13,000-Person Work Force." "The mine shutdowns start Tuesday, while the rest of the layoffs will be completed by the end of the first quarter after Alpha fulfills current sales obligations, Chief Executive Officer Kevin Crutchfield said. In all, the layoffs amount to nearly a tenth of Alpha's 13,000-person work force." (Vicki Smith, "Alpha Closing 8 Mines, Cutting 1,200 Jobs In All," The Associated Press, 9/18/12)

• "Though Some Miners Will Stay On To Seal The Operations, Most Will Either Be Reassigned Or Laid Off Immediately." (Vicki Smith, "Alpha Closing 8 Mines, Cutting 1,200 Jobs In All," The Associated Press, 9/18/12)

The Company Called It "A Difficult Day" But Was Necessary In Response To "A Regulatory Environment That's Aggressively Aimed At Constraining The Use Of Coal." "Crutchfield called it 'a difficult day,' but said the shutdowns and layoffs are a necessary part of ensuring Alpha survives in what has become a difficult U.S. market, where coal companies face a dual challenge: Power plants are shifting to cheap, abundant natural gas, while companies like his face 'a regulatory environment that's aggressively aimed at constraining the use of coal.'" (Vicki Smith, "Alpha Closing 8 Mines, Cutting 1,200 Jobs In All," The Associated Press, 9/18/12)

And It's Not Just Alpha Natural Resources — Coal Plants Across America Are Expected To Close Because Of President Obama's Policies:

President Obama's Regulations Will "Effectively Prohibit New Coal-Fired Power Plants." "President Barack Obama's proposed emission rules for power plants effectively prohibit new coal- fired power plants, buttressing the nation's shift away from a power source that fueled the Industrial Revolution to cheap natural gas." (Mark Drajem, "Obama Power-Plant Rule Signals Demise Of 'Old King Coal,'" Bloomberg, 3/28/12)

Under The Obama Administration, 111 Coal Power Plants Are Expected To Close By The End Of 2012. "But in the past two years, an increasing number of coal-powered electricity plants across the country have announced closures. Estimates vary, but banking and industry analysis firm Credit Suisse put expected and known closures for 2009-2012 at 111 plants, that's one-fifth of the nation's nearly 500 coal plants." (Lisa Desjardins, "The War Over Coal Is Personal," CNN, 7/17/12)

Energy Information Administration Expects 175 Coal-Fired Generators To Retire Between 2012 And 2016. "Plant owners and operators report to EIA that they expect to retire almost 27 gigawatts (GW) of capacity from 175 coal-fired generators between 2012 and 2016. In 2011, there were 1,387 coal-fired generators in the United States, totaling almost 318 GW. The 27 GW of retiring capacity amounts to 8.5% of total 2011 coal-fired capacity." ("27 Gigawatts Of Coal-Fired Capacity To Retire over The Next Five Years," Energy Information Administration, 9/16/12)

• EIA: "Coal-Fired Capacity Retirements Expected To Occur in 2012 Will Likely Be The Largest One-Year Amount In The Nation's History." "The coal-fired capacity expected to be retired over the next five years is more than four times greater than retirements performed during the preceding five-year period (6.5 GW). Moreover, based on EIA data, the approximate 9 GW of coal-fired capacity retirements expected to occur in 2012 will likely be the largest one-year amount in the nation's history." ("27 Gigawatts Of Coal-Fired Capacity To Retire over The Next Five Years," Energy Information Administration, 9/16/12)

OhioAmerican Energy Announced The Closure Its Coal Mining Operations In Brilliant, Ohio, Citing President Obama And His Appointees As The Reason. "OhioAmerican Energy, Inc. ('OhioAmerican'), a Subsidiary Of Murray Energy Corporation ('Murray Energy'), today announced the closure of its coal mining operations near Brilliant, Jefferson County, Ohio. Regulatory actions by President Barack Obama and his appointees and followers were cited as the entire reason." (Murray Energy, "OhioAmerican Energy, Inc. Coal Mining Operation Closed In Eastern Ohio," Press Release, 7/31/12)

"Regulatory Excess Of The Obama Administration" Cited For Layoffs At The Ohio Valley Coal Company's Powhatan No. 6 Mine In Belmont County, Ohio.  "The Ohio Valley Coal Company announced Friday it has been forced to reduce its workforce at the Powhatan No. 6 Mine in Belmont County, Ohio. According to a news release 29 hourly jobs will be cut. The company cites regulatory excess of the Obama Administration as a direct cause to the layoffs." (Colin Lawler, "Ohio Valley Coal Co. Announces Layoffs," WTRF, 7/21/12)

In Pennsylvania, "PBS Coals Inc. And Its Affiliate Company, RoxCoal Inc., Laid Off About 225 Workers" Due, In Part, To "The Escalating Costs And Uncertainty" From EPA Regulations. "PBS Coals Inc. and its affiliate company, RoxCoal Inc., laid off about 225 workers as part of an immediate idling of some deep and surface mines in Somerset County. The company now employs 795 workers. In a statement, PBS President and CEO D. Lynn Shanks said foreign and domestic markets were seeing softened demand for coal. 'Additionally, the escalating costs and uncertainty generated by recently advanced EPA regulations and interpretations have created a challenging business climate for the entire coal industry,' he said in the statement." (Eric Schwartzel, "Two Coal Companies Downsize," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 7/20/12)

In West Virginia, Consol Energy Is Laying Off 318 Coal Miners, "Citing Pressure From Federal Environmental Regulators." "At the same time Consol Energy is ramping up its natural gas drilling efforts, company officials are laying off 318 West Virginia coal miners, citing pressure from federal environmental regulators." (Casey Junkins, "Coal Jobs Cut; Consol, Others Scaling Back," The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register, 7/8/12)

The Obama Administration's War On Coal Isn't A Surprise — Both Barack Obama And Joe Biden Promised To End New Coal Plants:

Candidate Barack Obama, On His Cap-And-Trade Plan: "If Somebody Wants To Build A Coal Plant, They Can — It's Just That It Will Bankrupt Them." OBAMA: "So, if somebody wants to build a coal plant, they can — it's just that it will bankrupt them, because they are going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted." (Sen. Barack Obama, Interview With San Francisco Chronicle's Editorial Board, 1/17/08)

Senator Joe Biden, In Ohio In 2008: "No Coal Plants Here In America." (Joe Biden, Remarks, Maumee, OH, 9/16/08)