CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s leading U.S. Senate candidates are aligned in their opposition to stringent regulations the Obama administration has proposed for new coal-fired power plants.
The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled its proposal on Friday as part of a plan to reduce carbon emissions and curb global warming.
Under the proposal, new coal-fired power plants would need to install expensive technology to capture carbon dioxide and bury it underground. No coal-fired power plant has done that yet, in large part because of the cost. West Virginia’s economy is heavily dependent on the coal industry and views on environmental regulations of it are important during elections.
Republican Shelley Moore Capito and Democrat Natalie Tennant both issued statements decrying the proposed regulations, which they say would effectively prohibit construction of new plants.
