U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell contacted Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy to request the EPA hold a "listening session" in Pikeville, Kentucky, to discuss the impact its regulations will have on coal miners, their families and local businesses.
Yesterday, the EPA announced it was postponing its field hearings across the country due to the government shutdown. The EPA hearings will be held in San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Denver, Lenexa, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago, New York City and Washington, D.C. A hearing will not be held in any of the three largest coal producing states: Wyoming, West Virginia and Kentucky.
In the letter, Senator McConnell wrote: "I request the EPA host an additional listening session in Pikeville, Kentucky, which is located in the heart of coal country. Pikeville is certainly much more representative of those who work in the coal industry than San Francisco A Pikeville meeting would bring much needed balance to the listening sessions."
Read full letter in PDF format below:
http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=c4c8067f-1855-41a5-ac51-2b500344e611