WASHINGTON – Rep. Hal Rogers, the Kentucky lawmaker who represents the state’s eastern coal fields, attacked the Environmental Protection Agency’s release on Friday of new power plant emission rules, calling them part of President Barack Obama’s “radical” environmental agenda.
Rogers, a Republican, represents Kentucky’s 5th District and is chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
The veteran lawmaker said in a statement: “Coal keeps the lights on, Mr. President! That’s what the courts, the Congress, and people from every corner of this great country have said to you loud and clear.”
“Yet again, our message has fallen on deaf ears, as our president continues to promote a radical, job-crushing environmental agenda at the expense of hardworking Kentuckians,” Rogers said. “President Obama has made it clear he doesn’t want to mine our coal and he doesn’t want to burn our coal. This war on coal is a war on our way of life, already costing our region more than 6,200 high-paying mining jobs.”
“Today’s latest assault is sadly no different,” he said. “These overreaching, unworkable greenhouse gas regulations will cost thousands more jobs and increase energy costs for every household, small business and our seniors on fixed income. When are the coal mining families and people of Appalachia going to get a break, Mr. President?”
