Coal Industry Kicks Off State Wide Bus Tour

More than 50 percent of Alabama Power’s energy comes from coal.

 

It’s a billion dollar industry for the state, but members of the coal jobs count movement worry that number could go down. 

 

Something Public Service Commissioner Chip Beeker says wouldn’t be good for the state.

 

“We have a lot of coal and we’re proud of it. WE will be responsible in how we use our coal. We’re going to use it,” said Beeker.

 

The regulations come from the EPA’s Clean Power Plan.

 

The goal is to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent over the next 15 years.

 

The EPA says it’s crucial to our health, but Alabama Coal Association president George Barber says the EPA is going about it the wrong way. 

 

“These changes are going to be tremendously expensive at the utilities. They’re not just changing fuels. When they do that, they have to change a lot of things. It’s going to be tremendous. Billions of dollars,” said Barber.

 

Attorney General Luther Strange says he’s looking at legal options to challenge the changes and Governor Robert Bentley has spoken out about the proposed regulations.

 

Barber says this fight is about more than just jobs.

 

“Anybody in the state who has a power bill is going to be affected and it’s so important for everybody to understand, yeah you don’t want to see the coal miners lose their job, but you don’t want to have to pay for that,” said Barber.