Parkersburg News and Sentinel - McKinley Thanks W.Va. Senators for Coal Ash Support

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A U.S. Senate bill to prevent coal ash being classified a hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency mirrors the House Resolution 2273 Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., said he introduced earlier this year.

McKinley thanked Sens. Jay D. Rockefeller and Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democrats, for supporting and introducing the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2011 in the Senate. HR 2273 passed the House 267-144.

"This coal ash bill is a jobs bill and a public health bill that has received bipartisan support in both the House and Senate," McKinley said.

Coal ash is a residue of combustion at coal-firing power plants. It is used in construction materials, such as dry wall and concrete block.

"I applaud Sen. Rockefeller and Sen. Manchin for their efforts to pass companion legislation to my House bill," he said. "Their willingness to move past partisan politics and recognize this as a job creation bill that solves a 30-year-old problem is to be commended, and is a strong signal to the White House and Senate leadership that this legislation is just common sense."

The Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act was introduced by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., with Sens. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Michael Enzi R-Wyo., Mary Landrieu, D-La., Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Ben Nelson, D-Neb., John Thune, R-S.D., John Boozman, R-Ark., and Manchin and Rockefeller.

The act allows states to create programs for the management and disposal of coal ash based on existing regulations to protect health and the environment.

"The bipartisan support for this commonsense legislation is so strong, and has been building for a long time because overregulation of coal ash by the EPA would threaten vital industries, as well as needlessly cost West Virginia and the nation more jobs - neither of which we can afford," Manchin said. "This legislation gives us a common sense fix: let each state use existing EPA health and environment regulations to set up their own permitting program that allows them to recycle and reuse coal ash. This approach will protect jobs and our economy, and give families and businesses the certainty they need to help restore confidence."

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