David McKinley : McKinley Leads Effort to Stop Anti-Coal Regulation

McKinley Leads Effort to Stop Anti-Coal Regulation

Washington, D.C. - Congressman David B. McKinley, P.E., (WV-1) was joined by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Republican Congressmen Bill Johnson (OH-06), and Evan Jenkins (WV-03) in introducing companion resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the SPR. If not stopped, this rule could devastate our coal communities by sending thousands of miners to the unemployment line. The House of Representatives is expected to act on the CRA resolution first. Once the House takes action, the Senate will then take up the measure.

The lead sponsors made the following comments introducing the CRA resolutions in the Senate and House of Representatives:

Congressman David B. McKinley, P.E. (WV-01) said:'This rule implemented by President Obama at the end of his term is an outrageous attack on working families in the coal industry. As Chairman of the Coal Caucus, we've made stopping the SPR our number 1 priority because if implemented, it could shut down more coal mines and disrupt the livelihoods of over 80,000 miners and their families. Fortunately with President Trump, we now have a partner in the White House who understands how irresponsible and harmful these bureaucratic overreaches can be. Let's get this Congressional Review Act passed as quickly as possible and send it to the President so we can protect our hardworking coal communities from this dangerous rule.'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said:'For too long, coal jobs and those who rely on them have been unfairly targeted by the Obama Administration as part of its 'War on Coal.' The 'stream buffer' rule is a harmful regulation put into place by the Obama Administration at the 11th hour. It is just one example of the former administration's policies that have jeopardized jobs and taken power away from state and local governments in order to grow the federal bureaucracy. Further, this regulation, like many others of the Obama era does not take into account the negative consequences these policies would have on hardworking Americans and the families they support. And, it's just one example of the former administration's attack on coal communities like those in my home state of Kentucky.'

Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) said:'The Stream Protection Rule is the latest in a series of overreaching and misguided Obama-era regulations that have targeted America's coal industry. If this rule were allowed to say in place, it would add to the economic devastation for people in coal communities. Together with Leader McConnell and my congressional colleagues, I look forward to nullifying this harmful rule that is bad for jobs, families and businesses, especially in energy producing states like West Virginia. Passing this resolution of disapproval will help usher in a new era of common sense policies that protect our environment without needlessly compromising our economy and jobs.'

Congressman Bill Johnson (OH-06) said:'Make no mistake about it; this rule is not designed to protect streams. Instead, it was an effort to destroy coal jobs and push the coal mining industry right out of business through duplicative and overly burdensome regulations. I am not going to stand by and let that happen; that's why I am leading the effort in the House to make sure this onerous regulation never takes effect.'

Congressman Evan Jenkins (WV-03) said:'This rule is President Obama's final chapter in his anti-coal legacy, a legacy that has cost West Virginia thousands of jobs and decimated our state's economy. We will be taking action this week to stop this job-killing rule and protect tens of thousands of jobs. I am proud to join with my colleagues in the House and the Senate in standing up for American jobs, American energy, and the American people.'

Senator McConnell added,'I want to thank Senator Capito for joining me as a lead co-sponsor on this resolution, as well as many other colleagues who've joined in supporting the resolution of disapproval introduced today. I also want to recognize our House colleagues - including Rep. Johnson of Ohio, Rep. McKinley of West Virginia, and Rep. Jenkins of West Virginia - for introducing the House companion resolution. I would encourage the House to act quickly so that we can send this resolution to president's desk as soon as possible.'

Background

On July 27, 2015, the Department of the Interior's (DOI) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) proposed the Stream Protection Rule (SPR). Coal industry leaders called this rule the single greatest threat to the jobs and family livelihoods of their employees.

In the closing weeks of his term, President Obama announced this final anti-coal rule, which does little to actually protect waterways and instead extends the strong arm of the federal government at the expense of states, coal workers, and ultimately ratepayers.

Stopping this rule has been the Congressional Coal Caucus's number one priority and as Chairman, Congressman McKinley has been leading the fight. Over the past year and a half the Congressman has led meetings with House Leadership, state regulatory agencies, and the Obama Administration in an attempt to stop this dangerous rule and today steps were taken to see that through.

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