planning is a fundamental, necessary part of organizing an efficient society.

Let us not forget, President Ronald Reagan, your president, my president, in 1983 created the Stream Buffer Zone Rule because he realized the responsibility he had to protect America's water supply in the face of an industry that was…

Fact 1: Underground mines create over 50% more jobs than mountaintop removal mines.

Fact 3: Historically, the total number of mining jobs has fallen in places where the proportion of coal mined by mountaintop removal has increased.

This committee now shares that responsibility because President George W. Bush, with the stroke of a pen, trashed the Reagan SBZ rule just before leaving office as a present to a coal industry that wills itself to increase profit at all…

Fact 2: Unemployment in counties where a high proportion of coal is mined by mountaintop removal is higher than in counties where coal is mined mostly underground.

Fact: The number of mining jobs in Appalachia has increased since the start of the recession.

This committee would serve The People well if its actions are based upon fact and not coal industry deception and often outright deceit.

Fallacy: Stopping the destruction of Appalachian mountains and streams would cost jobs.

Fallacy: More stringent enforcement of the Clean Water Act by the EPA and other federal agencies is creating an economic crisis in Central Appalachia.

It is reckless to toss around accusations of illegality on the part of the Department of Energy officials who agreed to restructure the Solyndra loan guarantee.