On the recordFebruary 25, 2016
The United States is blessed with nearly 30 percent of the world's coal reserves--more than twice that of the nearest coal reserve country, Russia, and three times as much as China. Colorado is America's 10th leading coal producer. In Colorado's Third Congressional District, mines in communities like Craig and Delta provide critical jobs and tax revenues as they responsibly produce reliable, affordable electricity on which countless Americans rely. One thing is certain: the people who work in Colorado's mines and coal-fired power plants take great pride in their communities and the natural environment. They want to develop the land's abundant resources as responsibly as possible with as small a footprint as possible. I do not support the President's Clean Power Plan and have voted to stop this onerous Federal overreach multiple times. However, as industry continuously searches for safer and more efficient ways to produce energy, we will need to incentivize the improvement of technology. Passing the Carbon Capture Act will help facilitate that. Our economic, national, and energy security are all served through ensuring that the ability to use our natural resources responsibly to provide abundant, affordable energy continues. ____________________
