Stop Kicking Appalachia Around: Griffith Stands Up For Appalachian Coal

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce convened for a full committee markup to report favorably a series of measures to amend the Clean Air Act. One of those measures is U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith's (R-VA) bill, H.R. 161, the New Source Review Permitting Improvement Act.

During debate on Congressman Griffith's measure, Committee Democrats introduced an amendment to his legislation that would prevent manufacturers from making efficiency upgrades or improvements under the bill to any facilities if the facilities use any electricity generated by coal.

Congressman Griffith spoke in opposition to the Democrats' amendment to highlight the devastating impact Democrats' proposal would have on Appalachian communities, including those in Southwest Virginia. You can watch his remarks here or view them below.

Congressman Griffith's Remarks

"This is the turn off the lights at every factory in the Ninth Congressional District of Virginia, in the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia, in east Tennessee, in West Virginia. Let's just put central Appalachia completely out of business.

"Because what the amendment says is [the bill] shall not apply with respect to any stationary source that generates electricity from coal or uses electricity generated…from coal.

"Well, we've been using a lot of coal for a lot of years, and we still have coal fired power plants.

"In fact, we have one in my district that's one of the cleanest in the world. And it was it was I was there at the ribbon cutting in 2012. It's got a lot of life expectancy left on it.

"And to say that this completely takes away the right for any area that uses electricity generated by any coal…

"…Now come on, let's get reasonable. You can't shut down coal…

"…Well, as you might imagine, I'm from the coal regions of central Appalachia. And we're tired of being kicked around.

"And I know the gentleman didn't mean it because he's a good man. But this is just another kicking Appalachia around amendment because people don't understand, and we want to have a good life. We want more jobs. We want increased incomes. And people have to understand that means that probably in perpetuity, but certainly for the next 50 years, we're going to still use electricity generated in some measure by coal.

"And to say that we can't is you might as well put a closed out of business, move out of here. This is going to be a desert for jobs and a desert for people who want a better way of life.

"That's not the American way. I urge my colleagues to vote no."

BACKGROUND

With the help of Congressman Griffith, the Committee Republicans defeated this anti-coal amendment.

By a vote of 28-23, the Committee reported favorably Congressman Griffith's New Source Review Permitting Improvement Act.

This bill will help American manufacturers make efficiency upgrades and improvements to their facilities and power plants. The measure can now be considered for a vote by the full House of Representatives.

Numerous industry groups and unions voiced support for Congressman Griffith's bill, including the United Mine Workers of America, the National Mining Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

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