Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., proudly joined a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and energy trade groups today in calling for an end to the EPA’s avalanche of regulations that seek to bury the coal industry and the hundreds of thousands of hard-working Americans employed in powering the nation. During his speech, Enzi noted that the short sighted policies of this Administration are slowly destroying the important base of jobs and energy provided by coal and that as a country we cannot allow that to happen.

“Instead of running from coal, we should invest in its abundance, in its power and its potential. Instead of running from coal, America needs to run on coal, including clean coal,” said Enzi. “This Administration’s mantra seems to be if you like your current source of energy you can keep it – unless of course it’s coal. They work hard every day to make it harder and harder to produce American-made energy and we have to work even harder to stop them.

“What we need now is a George Washington Carver of coal. He found over 300 ways that American farmers could use the peanut, including as soap, facial cream, shampoo and even ink. I believe our nation is full of entrepreneurs who are ready to invent new ways to use coal, they just need a little bit more encouragement instead of the “can’t do” attitude that I hear from some opponents of coal including this Administration.”

In Wyoming, coal provides 87 percent of electric power generation, which is why based on cost of electricity Wyoming ranks No. 2 in the nation in energy affordability. The benefits of coal extend far beyond cheap electricity, directly and indirectly providing hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs across American, according to Enzi.  

“We ought to be proud of our nation’s legacy of coal -- just as proud as we are of all the work those in the energy industry do every day to keep our coal industry active, productive and strong. Coal has been providing our nation with the energy we need for generations – and we need to be sure it has the freedom from excessive regulation it needs to continue to power the nation,” Enzi said.