Via The Billings Gazette

October 04, 2015 7:00 pm

As you know, coal is big part of many people’s lives here in Montana. It powers our homes, schools and essential services all across our state and America for that matter. You may also be aware of the EPA’s latest assault on the coal industry, in the form of the Clean Power Plan. Welt this time another Washington office is out to get the coal industry with another stringent regulation designed to punish the most reliable power generator we have in America today: the Stream Protection Rule from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM for short).

The Stream Protection Rule, also being referred to as the buffer zone rule, is a rule in search of a problem. This is yet another piece of unnecessary and undue regulation being leveled at the coal industry for one purpose — to advance this administration’s “green” policy initiatives. Here are the facts: This regulation will be yet another job-killing regulation for the coal industry. OSM’s own internal analysis showed that more than 7,000 miners would lose their jobs in 22 states. An independent study showed losses far worse, with job losses approaching 80,000. This is another blow that the coal industry does not need to suffer. In addition to the job losses, the OSM rule would put valuable coal reserves off-limits, throttling the production of coal to force utilities to look to other energy sources for power generation.

This regulation is just another shot at the industry that has been providing reliable, affordable electricity to millions of homes throughout America. Forcing utilities to look elsewhere for power will only cost people their livelihoods and raise electric rates.

Greg Kohn

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