With an announced $500 million commitment to expand the Beyond Carbon campaign, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg seeks to shut down every remaining coal-fired power plant in the country, slash natural gas plant capacity in half, and block any new gas plants, all within the next six years.
“As I said in 2019 when Bloomberg last reinvigorated his crusade, it’s an absolute attack on our state, our families, our livelihoods, and it directly impacts north of 50,000 people collectively here in West Virginia,” said Chris Hamilton, President and CEO of the West Virginia Coal Association. “It’s un-American that someone would use their wealth to destroy our nation and state’s industrial base, sending West Virginians to the unemployment line while at the same time jeopardizing electric reliability and security in America.”
Bloomberg takes credit for forcing the closure of 70 percent of U.S. coal plants and more than 30 percent of planned natural gas power plant development over the past several years. Now, regional electric grid operators forecast that the amount of planned electric generation retirements by 2030 exceed the amount of potential new generation able to be brought online.
“Energy experts agree that the U.S. will not have enough reliable energy production to meet demand, and Bloomberg’s efforts, if successful, may result in black- and brown-outs across the country,” said Hamilton. “Bloomberg, the ultra-liberal national Democrat Party, and their environmental extremist group co-conspirators, are marching America off an energy cliff.”
Hamilton said West Virginia’s U.S. Senators and Congressional representatives should work with their colleagues to bring Bloomberg before a congressional committee to explain the impact of his initiative on hardworking West Virginians and the reality of America’s energy plight.
For additional information, contact Chris Hamilton at (304) 342-4153