Press Releases

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement today in response to the Obama Administration’s new coal mining regulatory ban that would eliminate thousands of coal-related jobs:

“Amazingly, just one day after President Obama’s call for job creation and economic growth, new federal regulations are threatening the very future of the coal industry in America. Even the President’s own experts agree. These new regulations would eliminate 7,000 coal mining jobs and dramatically cut production. Regulations of this magnitude will devastate many Southwest Virginian families and communities who depend on coal for their livelihoods.

“With unemployment above 9 percent and thousands of good paying jobs on the line, we cannot afford more roadblocks from the White House. Slashing coal production reduces our ability to tap into valuable domestic resources and realize future energy goals. Reducing coal production will ultimately increase the cost of electricity. More regulations will only harm the economy. It’s time for the Obama Administration to stop creating uncertainty with their mixed messages. Their message is one day they want jobs, the next day they don’t.”

According to the Associated Press, the job and production losses are outlined in a document produced by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

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