Governor Joe Manchin says he was once willing to give the Obama administration's EPA the benefit of the doubt, but now the agency's direction is clear when it comes to coal mining.
"Right now, my belief is that they're trying to kill off surface mining through regulation what they cannot get done through legislation," Manchin said by phone from Berlin, Germany Thursday on MetroNews Talkline.
The governor is upset with this week's announcement from the EPA that it will require further review of 79 surface mining permits, 23 of those in West Virginia.
The governor says the EPA doesn't like mining, especially surface mining. "I didn't believe that before," Manchin said. "I was hoping they were looking for a better way and a better use that we could all agree upon. But that's not their actions and that's not what I see."
Manchin says the state's congressional delegation leads to speak out loud and clear. He says he plans to. "I'm going to raise a lot of cane," the governor said on Talkline.
EPA representatives are scheduled to be in West Virginia in two weeks to begin a dialogue with the state DEP and the holders of the 23 surface mining permits about what additional information they need in order to be reevaluated.
The governor says he's skeptical of the further review. "This can't go on, just continue to delay, delay and delay, when the people are delaying it and have the power to delay it don't have the answers or clear direction," Manchin said.
