Not only is coal mining a major employer, many people, for instance just about everyone in downstate Illinois, get their electricity from coal. Thousand of coal miners and supporters will travel to Russell Park in Washington to ensure their voice is heard. Heck, perhaps even the captain of that Mississippi River coal barge pictured on the right will show up.
Among the concerns of the protesters are Appalachian mining permits, EPA overreach on water quality requirements, and hostile anti-energy legislation pending in Congress.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will be in attendance. So will Carte Goodwin and Jay Rockefeller, the Democratic Senators from West Virginia, as well as Governor Joe Manchin, a Democrat who is running for the seat Goodwin currently holds. Two Mountain State House Democrats, Shelley Capito and Nick Rahall will show their support for coal
Who else? Mark Warner and Jim Webb, Democratic Senators from Virginia, as well as Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA)--look for them there.
It's the Rally for American Coal Jobs and it will take place Wednesday at 9:30am.
"If this situation continues where the federal government is unfairly persecuting the coal mining industry, we as a county will lose hundreds of thousands of jobs," said Bryan Brown, executive director of the WV FACES of Coal. "Miners, families of miners, business people from all industries are coming to Washington, D.C. to make sure Congress knows how desperate the situation is, we are standing up for our jobs!"
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1 comment:
Interesting to observe the unity on this matter. The union members, who likely voted Democrat forever, realizing that the people for whom they voted have deep contempt for them. Politicians across party lines, knowing that if Obama and Company succeed in 'transforming America' to their tastes, there will be no country remaining to compete for.
Thanks for sharing, this is a bit of hopeful news.
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