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Tomblin gave a preview of an active agenda for the upcoming Legislature while meeting with reporters at the annual Associated Press Legislative Lookahead in South Charleston.
He spoke about supporting the coal industry against the Environmental Protection Agency, fiscal responsibility in state budgeting, and some changes to education he would like to see in a give-and-take with state media members.
The Legislature convenes on Wednesday in Charleston. Tomblin is scheduled to present his first State of the State address to legislators that evening.
Tomblin took an aggressive stance on behalf of all of West Virginia our state's coal interests:
"Coal has really been the backbone of our economy (and) has created so many jobs over the years," the Logan County resident said. "Coal's been good to us. We realized a few years ago when we passed the Energy Portfolio Act that we needed to be transitioning into more environmentally-friendly sources of energy, and we are doing that in the state of West Virginia.
"However, with this (Obama) administration in Washington, it's been a bumpy time for the state of West Virginia and all the coal-producing states," he said.
The mine permitting process of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as it applied to a Spruce Run operation was a target of his comments. "Once they get those permits, that you can go in and just jerk that permit out from under them, that's worrisome," he said.
Asked about the legal action Manchin's administration started to oppose the EPA, Tomblin said, "I will support that lawsuit against what the EPA is planning to do."
Tomblin is continuing to repeat falsehoods about Spruce Run. The original environmental concerns about Spruce Run had never been fully heard--the permit was not taken "out from under them."
Our state Democratic party leaders really need to get more saavy about this. It is self-defeating to beat up on the national Democratic party. Keep needlessly complaining about a Democrat in the White House and more WVians will vote Republican all the way down ticket.
In more promising news:
Tomblin spoke about the importance of a 40-year plan he helped produce in the legislature to pay down unfunded liability in state government in annual installments, and said it was an example of "fiscal responsibility" under his watch.
"We've been very vigilant about making sure that in each year, we've made those payments," he said.
Also:
He proposed a constitutional amendment on Thursday that would create a position of lieutenant governor.
He said he has a "work group" considering how that might work. It might be combined with an existing state executive office such as secretary of state.
"We would create a position that would not cost the people additional money," he said.
While he is now working out of the governor's office in the State Capitol, Tomblin said he is still the senate president and will seek to be retained in that post by his senate colleagues next week. However, the operation of the senate during the session will be handled by another senator, so "I'm not trying to run two branches of government at the same time," Tomblin said.
...
Redistricting will be "a legislative matter," Tomblin said. As acting governor, he said, "My role would be to either sign or veto the bill."
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