West Virginia Blue
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I prepared this diary at the request of national climate change activists wanting to better understand the West Virginia political landscape. It originally appeared yesterday as a contribution to the Adopt A Senator series at DailyKos.
What most casual observers of Congress know about Senator Robert C. Byrd is he's the longest-serving member in the Senate's history and he's been incredibly successful at steering federal dollars to West Virginia.
(Political Science Professor) Rupp remembers a quote from former Democratic House speaker Jim Wright, D-Texas, that Byrd posted in his office near the Senate Appropriations Committee Room inside the Capitol. It said: "Bob is a living encyclopedia, and legislative graveyards are filled with the bones of those who underestimated him."
Time and time again, Sen. Byrd has delivered for West Virginia. The question of the moment is, what does Byrd think West Virginia needs in the next energy and climate bill?
"The climate legislation proposed today by Senators Boxer and Kerry is a disappointing step in the wrong direction and I am against it.
"Requiring 20 percent emission reductions by 2020 is unrealistic and harmful - it is simply not enough time to deploy the carbon capture and storage (CCS) and energy efficiency technologies we need. Period.
"Our nation cannot survive without energy from coal and any viable climate policy must solidify our future by focusing on technology to make coal cleaner faster.
"I will continue studying the bill and all of its implications for our state and the coal industry. This is by no means the defining word on climate legislation in the Senate.
"I remain adamant in my conviction not to support any bill that might threaten the economy, workers or families across West Virginia.
"We should take the time to approach these issues with absolute care and diligence - they require nothing less."
I take Sen. Rockefeller at his word--as he studies the bill in more detail, he'll find there's parts there that can help the economy, workers, and families across West Virginia.
I agree with Sen. Rockefeller that 2020 is not enough time to fully deploy carbon capture and storage (CCS). I disagree with Sen. Rockefeller that we should set our greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets based on the risky and uncertain technology of CCS.
We should base our GHG reduction targets based on what is needed to maintain a livable planet, not based on the goal of burning as much coal as possible.
"I am glad to see that Senators Kerry and Boxer included some of the provisions I and other Senators recommended related to carbon capture and storage. I am pleased that Senators Boxer and Kerry are placing a greater focus on clean coal technology. While this is an encouraging sign, we have a long way to go on this legislation. Many issues have yet to be addressed. There is still a tough road ahead."
"I will continue to work with my colleagues to strike a balance that treats West Virginia's interests fairly as the legislative process moves forward. However, I will actively oppose any bill that would harm the workers, families, industries, or our resource-based economy in West Virginia."
West Virginia has more than just a resource-based economy. I hope Sen. Byrd will also actively consider how much damage the rest of our economy will suffer if no action is taken to address climate change.
A Good Sign
There's at least one major provision that will help out West Virginians. (For links to an overview of the bill and the actual bill visit Sen. Kerry's website.)
Part 2 of the bill provides Climate Change Worker Adjustment Assistance:
Sections 311- 313. Establishes a program pursuant to which any worker displaced as a result of Title VII of the Clean Air Act would be entitled to 156 weeks of income supplement, 80% of their monthly health care premium, up to $1,500 for job search assistance, up to $1,500 for moving assistance, and additional employment services for skills assessment, job counseling, training, and other services. Payments under the program cannot exceed the proceeds from the auction of allowances set aside for this purpose.
I've often said we need a hand-up for coal mining communities, not a hand-out for coal companies. This is a step in the right direction. (This is no mere footnote. Pages 229 - 282 of the bill text cover this program.)
Here's another program that might help (I can't tell for sure--it probably needs more funding behind it and probably needs to be directed more closely to Appalachian communities):
Section 156. Economic Development Climate Change Fund. Authorizes the Economic Development Administration to provide up to $50 million per year in technical assistance and grants for projects that promote green economic development in distressed communities.
Now that a bill is on the table, this is a good time for Sens. Byrd and Rockefeller to start being equally forceful in their advocacy for all the West Virginians impacted by climate change as they have been for the coal miners who might be impacted by addressing climate change.
ROCKEFELLER CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF TOURISM IN WEST VIRGINIA
Washington, D.C.-Senator Jay Rockefeller issued the following statement on fighting for the future of tourism and jobs in West Virginia:
"I'm glad to hear from so many West Virginians about this really important issue," said Rockefeller. "I will absolutely fight for the future of tourism and jobs in our state. I will not support an energy bill that threatens West Virginia's future. Global climate change is a grave threat to the planet, but our great country can rise to this challenge. People in the rest of the country need to know how dependent they are on the restorative effects of clean West Virginia mountain air and clean West Virginia mountain water. There's nothing like a visit to Wild, Wonderful, West "by God" Virginia to soothe the soul."
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 in June. The Senate is in the process of crafting its own bill, and it is roughly estimated that legislation could be considered later this fall.
Update: Despite constituent pleas Sen. Rockefeller continues to "fight." An anonymous staffer confidentially disclosed: it may or may not be due to decades of being introduced to the "Rocky" theme, that's just who the Senator is.
Last Saturday (July 18), around 400 of your neighbors gathered at the state Capitol Culture Center for a protest and town hall meeting regarding the harm that cap and trade legislation will do us. Although Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV 2nd), expressed concern about losing West Virginia coal jobs, she apparently never explained how it will do so. I missed the event, but I've read all the reports that I could find, and even though it was far better covered than any anti-mtr protests, I'm willing to bet that no one will ever get around to asking Capito what makes her think that cap and trade will cost WV coal mining jobs. Because it won't. It may, however, help us to gain "green" industry jobs.
I remember when the airborne fly ash (aka "coal ash") around the John Amos power plant near St. Albans was so thick that you couldn't open your car window while driving for fear of being blinded. Back then industry stooges ...er "experts" warned politicians that cleaning fly ash from the air would skyrocket costs and lose jobs. And although exactly the same arguments were used against acid rain mitigation laws, the fact is that none of their dire warnings ever amounted to any more than hollow scare tactics. Because when lawmakers finally stopped the coal fired power industry from being bad corporate neighbors, the cost of electricity never really shot up. Yet entire "green"industries have sprung up since that coal ash legislation. In WV, though, not so much, largely due to extreme anti-"green" tunnel vision of our coal-powered politicians.
The point of cap-and-trade is to cap carbon emissions to mitigate pollution. Simply figure out how to stop polluting and you won't have to pay the tax. So if coal is really as clean as Rep, Capito told us during her campaign, then just why would anyone need to protest?
The bill requires power plants, factories, refineries and electricity and natural gas distributors to reduce the emissions linked to global warming. It also calls for more power production from renewable sources such wind and solar energy, and raises energy-efficiency standards.source
Instead of wasting millions to lobby and buy politicians to lie about how "clean" coal is, wouldn't it make far more sense to develop a method to make coal "clean" and then manufacture and export it?
BTW Rep Capito has collected $263,290 from the coal industry so far to shill their bogus "Coal is Clean" shinola, so you'll never see her at a town hall meeting expressing her "concern" over the loss of tens of thousands of deep mining jobs in WV due to the expansion of surface mining.
ROCKEFELLER CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN WEST VIRGINIA
Washington, D.C.-Senator Jay Rockefeller issued the following statement on fighting for the future of education and jobs in West Virginia:
"I'm glad to hear from so many West Virginians about this really important issue," said Rockefeller. "I will absolutely fight for the future of education and jobs in our state. I will not support an energy bill that threatens West Virginia's future. Global climate change is a grave threat to our future, but our great country can rise to this challenge. People in the rest of the country need to know how eager the educators of West Virginia are to train students for the new jobs of the future."
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 in June. The Senate is in the process of crafting its own bill, and it is roughly estimated that legislation could be considered later this fall.
It's time for West Virginia to prepare for the future, not to cling to the past. Coal is just one of many resources in West Virginia, let's take advantage of everything the state has to offer.
I think Sen. Rockefeller needs to hear from even more West Virginians that global climate change is real and should be addressed with alternatives other than "more coal." (Press release via email on July 17, 2009.)
ROCKEFELLER CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF COAL IN WEST VIRGINIA
Washington, D.C.-Senator Jay Rockefeller issued the following statement on fighting for the future of coal and jobs in West Virginia:
"I'm glad to hear from so many West Virginians about this really important issue," said Rockefeller. "I will absolutely fight for the future of coal and jobs in our state. I will not support an energy bill that threatens West Virginia's future. Technology can make coal even cleaner, but our nation cannot survive without energy from coal. People in the rest of the country need to know how dependent on West Virginia coal they are."
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 in June. The Senate is in the process of crafting its own bill, and it is roughly estimated that legislation could be considered later this fall.
If that's all Sen. Rockefeller thinks needs to be done, he's not listening to enough West Virginians. He doesn't sound like someone who understands the status quo threatens West Virginia's future.
* Tell him you want a climate bill that aggressively addresses climate change by building a green energy economy--not one that prolongs coal with very expensive unproven technology.
* Let him know the people of West Virginia need a hand-up for clean energy jobs, not another hand-out for the coal industry.
Remarks by U.S. Representative Nick J. Rahall, II on The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009
The Congress would be unwise to sit by and simply allow the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as the agency has been mandated to do by the Supreme Court. Similarly, it would be a mistake to sit back and allow other countries to devise international rules that will affect America's economic and energy interests.
I do not agree with those who advocate for sitting on our hands and just saying NO to everything, sight unseen. The international community has no interest in protecting American businesses, and the Environmental Protection Agency is not required by the Supreme Court to consider the views of our constituents or the economic consequences to our communities.
I believe America is the one nation best equipped to lead such a multinational effort and, in doing so, to strike a balance between environmental preservation and the preservation of jobs. The hands-off approach of recent years did nothing to help promote new energy technologies, or to advance carbon capture and sequestration, or to protect American jobs.
It is evident that wishing that this complex issue would simply go away will not lead to better results for our Nation or the people we represent. And "just saying no" to any and all proposals, sight unseen, is unrealistic and irresponsible.
For those reasons, I chose to work with my colleagues and with numerous stakeholders -- including the coal industry, manufacturers, and labor -- to positively influence this bill and America's climate change strategies. And for those reasons our coal miners and responsible industry members have been at the table, too, rather than on the sidelines.
I thank Chairman Waxman, who has made many concessions in this bill, and I thank Leadership for listening to my concerns about this legislation and moving to help address them.
As well, I commend my colleague Rick Boucher, from southwestern Virginia, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and worked in determined fashion to make improvements to the bill that we both sought. I am grateful that he has been so welcoming of my views and supportive of our interests -- such as ensuring the availability of $10 billion to advance carbon capture and sequestration technologies and other changes that are beneficial to the people of our neighboring districts.
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.
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 has been lowered from the 20% cap initially contained in this bill, there remains widespread concern that even the reduced cap -- 17% in 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. We must allow time for expensive clean coal technologies to come on line.
These technologies are critical to lowering emissions across multiple sectors of our economy. And they are necessary for keeping hardworking coal miners in the jobs they want, providing power for the country they love.
For these reasons, I cannot cast my vote for this bill.
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