Cap and Trade, and West Virginia

During the upcoming regular session, West Virginia lawmakers are expected to invoke, discuss and most probably decry the federal legislation that aims to set long-term limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.

After all, the House and Senate each endorsed (identical) resolutions during their last special session that said such proposals as "cap and trade" are " casting a shadow of doubt and uncertainty over the future of the coal industry in West Virginia."

West Virginia media heard several perspectives on the topic Friday, The Associated Press reports, during AP's annual Legislative Lookahead conference.

Speakers came from the United Mine Workers union and American Electric Power, "the nation's largest single buyer of coal," the article said. Both find flaws in the U.S. House version of the cap and trade bill, and "think the benchmarks for carbon emission reductions being discussed in Congress are unrealistic," writes AP's Tom Breen.

But they also believe "there's no point in debating the science of climate change, because it's already a political and legal reality," the article said. "Requirements ordering companies to reduce their carbon emissions are on their way... regulation is coming regardless of what happens to either bill."

Gov. Joe Manchin later offered his views on the topic, as AP reports. The Herald-Dispatch of Huntington also reported on the panel discussion,