Manchin Blasts EPA Coal Rules, Says 'Not a Penny' Has Been Spent on R&D by DOE

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) fumed about the new EPA rules today, saying the Obama administration is letting research and development funds sit dormant while placing new demands on the coal industry.

“I’ve held my tongue until I’ve seen the rules come out,” Manchin said this morning on MSNBC. “But you know, this administration should be dealing with the facts and how do we fix things. And all we’re asking for is give us the technology.”

“Eight billion has been laying there in research in the Department of Energy for clean coal technology research. Not a penny’s been spent. Not a penny,” he continued. “I have a bill that says basically you have to invest those $2 billion in finding the new technology. You’re going to be using it. You’re going to need coal for the next 30 years. Why not work with us versus against us?”

Manchin stressed that “we’ve cleaned up the environment more in the last two decades than ever in the history of the world.”

“You have to understand, 8 billion tons of coal is being burned in the world today. The United States of America only burns 1 billion. What happens to the other 7 billion? If you think the ocean currents and wind currents start and stop in North America then we’ve got some ocean front property in West Virginia for you,” he said.

“The bottom line is this: China’s 4.5 billion tons increasing. India’s 2 billion tons. Europe — the European Union is at 1 billion. If we were serious about global climate and the changes that need to be made for all of us human beings, first of all, 7 billion have an impact and we all have a responsibility. I concur with that. I agree. The other thing is I’m not a denier. And I would ask this administration, ‘Are you deniers denying that you can go and energize this country without using fossil?'”

Manchin said “it’s not CO2 that’s killing people” in China, but particulate matter released from plants.

“And we’ve cleaned the particulates up in America,” the senator added.

“Now if the case is you want to seriously clean up the environment then why don’t you have your trading policies with the countries that are using the most fossil right now start using the clean coal technology that’s available and help us develop the new clean coal technology that can clean up the atmosphere?”