Tagged: smokestack

The New York Times has experts in several fields weighing in this morning on what they say should be President Obama's priorities for the next four years. Two of them spoke about energy and the environment, and both are worth a read in their entirety.

For the past four years, officials in Kentucky’s coal industry have fought President Obama’s steps to further regulate emissions from coal plants and pollution from coal mining. Now that the president has won re-election, they wonder if anything will change in a second term.

President Obama’s administration has put into motion numerous regulations that affect the coal industry. But many of these aren’t actually in effect yet…they’re still moving through the rule making process, or are tied up in court.

A coal company plans to restart production at two mines in eastern Kentucky.

Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne Rutherford says 150 coal miners in his county will soon go back to work, but he can’t say for which company.

Rutherford was told the miners had worked at two idled mines in the county, but the company is still working on permits and doesn’t want to make the news public yet. Even so, Rutherford hailed the news as a sign that more coal jobs will be returning to eastern Kentucky.

If you’ve already voted, you may have been confused by the lineup of men vying for the position of Supervisor in the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District. You aren’t alone.

The National Journal has compiled responses from several environmentalists, businesspeople and politicians about what energy issues are at stake in today's election. Here are a few excerpts.

Former Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope:

Coal’s share of the nation’s electricity is declining. But schools are still graduating mining engineers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the job outlook is growing at an average pace. And in Kentucky, there are more students studying mining engineering than ever before in the program’s history.