West Virginia governor to continue lawsuit over vetoed mountaintop-removal mine

Under former West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D), who left the governorship once he was elected to the Senate, the state of West Virginia sued the EPA over its intention to veto the Spruce No. 1 Mine permit.

For his part, Manchin, in a statement, called on his fellow senators to oppose EPA’s decision.

“While the EPA decision hurts West Virginia today, it has negative ramifications for every state in our nation, and I strongly urge every senator and every member of Congress to voice their opposition,” he said, adding, “I plan to do everything in my power to fight this decision.”

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) told President Obama in a letter Thursday that he is “deeply angered” by EPA’s decision and warned, “The fight is not over.”

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) raised similar frustrations.

“This action is hard evidence of the EPA’s anti-coal agenda, as well as their intent to use their regulatory authority to dismantle the coal industry,” she said in a statement Thursday. “What’s more, this veto puts all previously issued permits at risk, casting a wide veil of uncertainly over not just coal, but any industry subject to 404 permits.”