and with less industrial size coal made, the byproduct of home heating size coal will cost more now hitting those who can least afford the increase...
Posted on 07/23/2012 6:17:40 PM PDT by markomalley
Two coal companies in Pennsylvania blamed President Obama and his Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the layoffs announced last week.
“[T]he escalating costs and uncertainty generated by recently advanced EPA regulations and interpretations have created a challenging business climate for the entire coal industry,” said PBS Coals Inc. President and CEO D. Lynn Shanks in a statement on Friday, as noted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The company also cited weaker-than-normal demand for coal.
Shanks’ comment on the EPA came as he announced a 28 percent work force reduction. “PBS Coals Inc. and its affiliate company, RoxCoal Inc., laid off about 225 workers as part of an immediate idling of some deep and surface mines in Somerset County,” Post-Gazette added. “The company now employs 795 workers.”
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee staff issued a report last week faulting the EPA for over-regulating the industries under its control. “Over 40 EPA regulations cited by job creators as barriers to growth and expansion in the Committee’s February 2011 staff report remain a problem,” the staff report said. “EPA’s proposal to regulate coal combustion residuals (“coal ash”) usurps states’ previous role and exerts unprecedented federal control over the utility industry . . . Compliance costs range from $78-110 billion over the next 20 years while job loss estimates range from 39,000, under a low estimate, to 316,000, under a high estimate.”
General Manager Ronald Koontz, a mine manager, hit the president for waging a “war on coal seeking to destroy the coal industry and the jobs of our own employees and the livelihoods of their families.”
Koontz’ remark dovetails with those of EPA’s New England Regional Administrator Curt Spaulding, who said the EPA had adopted a policy towards the coal industry that amounted to saying “we just think those communities should just go away,” as he put it earlier this year.
“You can’t imagine how tough that was, because — you got to remember — if you go to West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and all those places, you have coal communities who depend on coal,” Spaulding said. “It is painful every step of the way.”
I wonder what the coal miners union has to say? Are they proud of backing Obama in 2008?
Election 2008 results in PA: 0bama 55% - McCain 44%
You voted for this Pennsylvania. You better change course in 2012 or you are through, along with the rest of us!
The coal unions will still give 95% of their money to Ohbummer. They could care less about their workers.
Obama told us he intended to get rid of the coal companies before he was elected president. And still they voted for him.
Yep, there were so many here that did.
Senate candidate Tom Smith needs to hammer this home. We need that Senate seat, along with the Presidency.
Yet I still see a lot of 0bamphiles around. Guess you just can’t fix stupid everywhere but lets just pray that it’s been fixed enough.
and with less industrial size coal made, the byproduct of home heating size coal will cost more now hitting those who can least afford the increase...
I hope they remember why they’re out of work and who put them there November 6th.
Looks like “disability” is all they have left. Oh well, Pelosi says they will have more time to learn how to play the guitar, paint pictures of flowers and fruit and write poems.
Swing state BTTT.
Well, shucks. We thought he was just funnin' us all. We didn't think the Messiah actually meant what he said...
D. Lynn Shanks, President and CEO of PBS Coals Inc., July 23, 2012
IIRC OB made a statement during the 2008 campaign that he would put coal companies out of business. Anyone have this quote? It was in a TV interview.
I remember that. I just don't remember exactly when or who he said it to - maybe a speach?
I can’t believe OB will campaign in any coal producing state. Might show up in Philly to visit his poll security guys at the Black Panther Hdq.
Until landowners are given legal rights, I hope all coal companies shut down.
Let’s be a little fair to the EPA, (okay maybe not), but I think the natural gas prices are having an effect too.
I loved my coal stove. Wasn’t good at getting it to last all night, but hey, nobody’s perfect.
PA Ping!
If you want on/off the PA Ping List, please freepmail me. Thanks!
The quote was made on January 18th, 2008 with the San Francisco Chronicle. It wasn’t made public by the San Francisco Chronicle until November 2, 2008.
Are we surprised they would sit on it that long?
Anyone?
Every company should lay off workers beginning in September. They can all ways make due with fewer workers.
The electorate needs to feel real, deep pain
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