Washington, DC (WOAY) -US Senator Joe Manchin, (D)-WV today reaffirmed his stance on transitioning the coal industry by investing in technologies necessary to continue using coal. In a letter to West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton, Manchin responded to industry concerns about how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) could negatively impact the coal industry. Manchin stressed the need for coal power generation and the development of alternative carbon products.
Additionally, Manchin supported the IRA inclusion of protections for the coal industry, including permanent black lung benefits for miners, energy tax credits for in-coal communities, and energy infrastructure reinforcement plans to improve the efficiency of coal-powered plants.
The American Coal Association has voiced concerns that the IRA would do nothing for the coal industry or household energy costs.
