Federal lawmakers in the two Virginias introduced legislation last week to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of greenhouse gases. But one has to ask if this move is too little, too late.
The legislation, introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Nick Rahall and Alan Mollohan, both D-W.Va., and Rick Boucher, D-Va., and in the Senate by Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., would halt the EPA’s regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants.
While this legislation is certainly welcome, it’s a shame it comes over a year after residents and businesses in the coalfields have been pleading for tangible support from lawmakers to protect coal, and coal jobs.
Washington is only about 334 miles from southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia; sound doesn’t travel that slowly.
Timing of the legislation is also convenient, coming in the months preceding November’s election. Most political pundits now agree that Rahall and Boucher are vulnerable in the upcoming polls.
It’s a shame, really, as both veteran lawmakers have done much for the region over the years. Rahall has long been known as an advocate for miners, mine reclamation and Black Lung benefits. Boucher, meanwhile, has certainly worked to improve infrastructure and job opportunities in Southwest Virginia.
However, during the past year the tide appears to have turned for both lawmakers. Many residents of the two Virginias, worried about pending cap-and-trade legislation, the EPA’s regulation of mountaintop mining and other coal issues, wanted a strong response from Rahall and Boucher (as well as senators Rockefeller and Byrd) in support of mining. But quite a few people felt the lawmakers’ response was tepid — at best.
Throughout 2009 and into 2010, numerous letters to the editor in this newspaper have appealed for the support of coal. Now, eight months before the election, legislation is finally introduced.
While this newspaper, a strong advocate for coal, is grateful for any legislation that will protect our industries and jobs, the timing of this bill reeks of election-year politics.
We can only hope that Rahall, Boucher, Rockefeller and Byrd will remember the many people who put them in office — the people whose bread and butter relies on the coal industry — and step up to the plate.
lll
Also last week, a bill to crack down on litterbugs was unanimously approved by the West Virginia Senate.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ron Stollings, a Boone County Democrat, would double fines and cleanup costs for those caught littering. According to the Associated Press, fines for small littering infractions would be $300 under the new legislation, while those found guilty of larger violations would face minimum costs of $1,200. The bill would also enable the creation of a statewide litter reporting program.
With spring just around the corner, the problem of littering in southern West Virginia will soon become all too apparent.
While just about everyone in the region is now sick of snow, the one good thing that can be said about the accumulated precipitation is that it hides the sight of fast food bags, beer cans and other litter on display along our region’s roadsides.
The weeks between the spring thaw and growth of summer vegetation are, unfortunately, one of the ugliest for Mercer and McDowell counties. It’s a shame so many people in the area feel compelled to toss trash out of their car windows instead of disposing of it at their own homes or in one of the many trash cans available at fast-food restaurants and other businesses.
The legislation introduced by Stollings is a no-brainer. If we truly want to beautify our region and our state we must crack down on those who are responsible for the litter blight with significant fines.
Let’s hope the House also approves this legislation unanimously, and Gov. Joe Manchin signs it into law quickly.
lll
Fans of the National Geographic television show “Dog Whisperer” may be saddened to learn that Cesar Millan’s top dog, Daddy, passed away Feb. 19.
Daddy, a pit bull who helped Cesar rehabilitate many aggressive, dominant and fearful dogs, was 16 years old. According to the website Cesarssway.com, Daddy “died peacefully surrounded by family.”
Many viewers of the show, myself included, were fans of Daddy, appreciating the pit bull’s ability to assist other dogs simply by being present and in a constant “balanced” state of mind. Daddy also helped break the stereotype that all pit bulls are aggressive and vicious, showing viewers across the globe the beauty and gentleness of the breed.
Due to limitations of Daddy’s age in recent years, Cesar has been training a new pit bull — Junior — to carry on his work.
According to the Cesar’s Way website, Daddy “lives on in his work, reflected in the balance and calm-submission of his protege Junior, the countless animals to whom he was a positive role model, and in the hearts and minds of everyone who knew him as a calm, sweet, and mellow example of a widely misunderstood breed.”
In honor of Daddy, a fund has been set up — Daddy’s Emergency Animal Rescue Fund — to assist dogs who are victims of abuse or violence, man-made disasters (such as puppy mill rescues) and large-scale natural disasters. For more information, visit the Cesar’s Way website, where online condolences may also be posted.
Samantha Perry is managing editor of the Daily Telegraph. Contact her at sperry@bdtonline.com.
Columns
March 7, 2010
Coal war, litter crackdown and a tribute to the loss of pit bull ‘Daddy’
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