CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Following reports that Alpha Natural Resources could layoff as many as 900 workers in West Virginia, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today issued this statement regarding continued assaults on the coal industry:
“For no fault of their own, nearly 900 of West Virginia’s hard-working miners and their families got word yesterday that their jobs could be lost. This announcement, the latest in a string of job losses that began right before Christmas, is yet another reminder of the real impacts this administration’s regulations are having on jobs, families and communities.
“President Obama is keeping his promise to bankrupt coal, and the consequences have been absolutely devastating for the thousands of West Virginians left wondering how to make ends meet. This is why I introduced legislation to block the harmful Clean Power Plan and voted to fund research at West Virginia institutions to make coal energy production cleaner and more efficient.
“I will continue pushing back against these destructive regulations and fighting to protect West Virginia's vital energy jobs. At the same time, we must also pursue new avenues to spur economic development and advance rural broadband. Through my Capito Connect plan, we can bridge the digital divide in West Virginia, bring new opportunities to our state and create new job training programs that will help our coal miners.”
West Virginians in need of assistance are encouraged to contact Senator Capito’s offices in Charleston at 304-347-5372, Martinsburg at 304-262-9285, Morgantown at 304-292-2310, and Beckley at 304-347-5372.
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