WHEELING - It's a "no" on "cap and trade" for U.S. Reps. Nick Rahall and Alan Mollohan.
The U.S. House could vote as soon as today on legislation to reduce emissions from coal-fired plants over the next decade, and Rahall and Mollohan, both D-W.Va., said Thursday they would oppose the measure.
"While this bill is greatly improved from the discussion draft that was first circulated in March of this year - and opponents were saying 'no' even before that draft was written - more improvements are needed to gain my support," Rahall said. "Coal does much more than keep the lights on in big cities across America. In southern West Virginia, it covers the mortgage, puts food on the family dinner table, and keeps open the doors of small businesses."
While the emissions target in the early years of this program were lowered from a 20 percent cap initially contained in the bill, Rahall believes that even the reduced cap - 17 percent by 2020 - "is still too high and too soon to incentivize rapid development and deployment of carbon capture and sequestration technologies, so as to ensure coal mining jobs for the future."
Rahall is chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Mollohan agreed that "this legislation is not in the best interests of my constituents, and it's not in the best interests of West Virginia.
"For the past several weeks, I have joined the electric utility industry, the coal industry, the United Mine Workers of America, and other coal state Representatives on negotiations to improve the legislation," he said. "We have made significant progress on a number of fronts that together would hold down the cost of electricity to residential and industrial consumers, that would help level the playing field for our steel and manufacturing industries that face international competition, and that would enable the electric power industry to continue to burn West Virginia coal.
"As a result of our efforts, the bill is much improved from the original draft, but it still falls short in several key areas, and I cannot support it."
Both U.S. Reps. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Charles Wilson, D-Ohio, also have indicated they will oppose "cap and trade" legislation when it comes up for a vote. This may or may not happen today, based on the decision of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
"Just remember leadership reserves the right to change the schedule at a moment's notice," said Hillary Wicai-Viers, communications director for Wilson. "If she doesn't have the vote to pass, she could pull it from the floor."
Congress is expected to adjourn after today's proceedings for the July Fourth recess, and to return July 7.
U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Ohio, remained uncommitted on the legislation as of Thursday evening.
West Virginia's state legislators also have strong opinions on the measure, as Delegate Randy Swartz-miller, D-Hancock, said he is adamantly opposed to the proposed cap and trade legislation.
"This legislation has the potential to cost this country billions of dollars and it will either come out of the pockets of our hard-working men and women or it will mark the end of many businesses," Swartzmiller said. "Even though I do not have a vote on this legislation since it is a congressional bill, I have written letters to Congressmen Mollohan and Rahall and to Congresswoman Capito expressing my concerns and requesting that they vote against this legislation as it is currently drafted.
"This is the most dangerous piece of legislation that has been introduced in years in regard to how it will affect our state's citizens and businesses. It has all the necessary ingredients to drive up the costs for all coal consuming entities as well as oil and gas refineries."
West Virginia is a coal-producing state with power plants that are fueled by coal, he continued.
"We also have one oil and gas refinery left in the state," Swartzmiller said. "Under the provisions of this proposed legislation, all of these industries will either suffer or go out of business. Either way, good-paying jobs will be lost."
Delegate Patrick McGeehan, R-Hancock, pushes for the use of West Virginia's coal as a national energy resource.
"This legislation is absurd, period," he said. "The federal Congress has outstepped their bounds, and soft tyranny is spreading across the U.S. If property is damaged by pollution, the issue belongs in the courts. The federal government should not dictate policy like this, especially when it hurts people."
And it's the middle and lower class wage earners who will be most affected, he said.
"These people can't afford to pay, and they depend on energy - especially in the winter," McGeehan said.