Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin issued the following statement regarding West Virginia’s plan to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan at the annual Governor’s Energy Summit:
“As required by new legislation passed by the Legislature this year, the state Department of Environmental Protection has already initiated its feasibility study to determine what options may be available for West Virginia to meet these new standards. Ultimately, any plan submitted by West Virginia will require the approval of the Legislature before being submitted to the EPA.
“While I believe there are significant questions regarding the legality of the Clean Power Plan, these new rules have been put into place by the federal regulatory agency. Until a final legal decision has been made, we cannot afford to ignore them. If we do not submit a plan, our state may be required to implement a plan designed by the EPA. If we can demonstrate that we put a lot of time and effort into developing a plan for West Virginia, we may have a better chance of lessening the harmful impacts these regulations could have on our miners, their families and communities.
“I’d prefer we start working this now so that when the time comes, we have an initial plan in place. By submitting this initial proposal, we’ll have two additional years and the flexibility we need to complete a final plan. If the EPA feels the state’s plan does not meet its standards, we have at least developed a starting point that gives us the opportunity to work toward a proposal that balances the environmental protection we all support with the economic growth and development we must maintain.”
