CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After taking a closer look at the Environmental Protection Agency’s draft rule for new emissions limits for existing coal-fired power plants, the president of the United Mine Workers of America says he’s even more convinced the proposal will be a “pretty hard hit” for the coal industry.
“We think by 2030, in West Virginia, there will be a reduction of about 16 million tons of coal which is more than half of what we’re burning here now and you’ll see similar numbers nationwide,” said Cecil Roberts.
In general, the UMWA’s analysis has determined the prescribed reductions to carbon emissions will add up to about 20 percent by 2030 for West Virginia compared with 2005 levels or 14 percent from what’s being emitted right now.
Roberts said it’s “worse than bad” for the coal industry. “As we approach 2035, coal is going to play a much smaller role in the generation of electricity in the United States and, I think, it’s going to have some very serious consequences,” he said.
EPA officials said the draft rule, released Monday, would cut carbon emissions from the existing plants by a national average of 30 percent, compared with 2005 levels, before 2030. States would have differing deadlines and options for meeting emission-reduction targets that would also vary by state.
Even with the requirements, those with the EPA have said the two leading sources of electricity generation in the United States would remain coal and natural gas with each providing more than 30 percent of expected generation by the 2030 target date. Currently, about 40 percent of the country’s energy comes from coal.
On Thursday’s MetroNews “Talkline,” Roberts said the draft rule makes it clear President Barack Obama has abandoned some of the clean coal investment promises he made as a candidate in 2008 and turned away from some of those in the Democratic Party.
“I think this rule and the White House announcing this rule was really, really a slap in the face at some really good Democrats out here, not just in the coalfields necessarily, but in rural America,” he said.
The proposed EPA rule could be finalized by June of next year. After that, states would have at least a year to craft their own plans.
Comments on the draft rule can be submitted, using the Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602, online at www.regulations.gov, via e-mail at A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov, through fax at 202-566-9744 or by mail to EPA, EPA Docket Center, Mail code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20460.
During the week of July 28, four public hearings will be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., Denver, Co., Atlanta, Ga., and Washington, D.C.