Curbing greenhouse gas emissions from coal is not a new policy ambition, and neither is the effect of the coal lobby’s refusal to negotiate. For many years now, American utilities have conducted what many would consider a smart reaction to the political uncertainty created by the coal lobby and has pulled coal from its planning.
When it comes to climate policy, Wyoming’s congressional delegation is engaged in the same type of brinksmanship that downgraded America’s credit rating and sent the stock market plunging on Monday. Only the results of this hard-line, anti-regulatory tactic threatens to diminish the future of Wyoming’s coal industry, which injects about $1 billion into the state’s economy annually.
State and industry officials have repeated the “no documented case” mantra ever since the Pavillion fracking trial began many years ago. Rather than instill confidence in their ability protect drinking water, state and industry official run the risk of appearing disingenuous in their pursuit of definitively finding answers in this matter.