Manchin Takes on Obama over Cap and Trade

Gov. Joe Manchin has asked the Legislature to endorse a resolution declaring that it opposes "the adoption of a national cap and trade program for carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions that is unduly burdensome to the State of West Virginia," The Associated Press reports.

"The resolution says West Virginia would lose 10,000 jobs by 2020 under the proposed legislation, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives but has stalled in the Senate," writes AP's Tom Breen. It "also calls for investment in new technology, like American Electric Power's Mountaineer Plant in Mason County."

AP also notes that "the resolution was introduced a day after Manchin and other leaders met with environmental groups at the Capitol to hear their concerns about mountaintop removal mining."

Update: Manchin has been at odds with his fellow Democrats in the White House over coal-related issues before. The Democrat-dominated Legislature, meanwhile, endorsed a special session resolution last year pledging its "support of the West Virginia coal industry and requesting that West Virginia's congressional delegation resist and oppose efforts to undermine the future of West Virginia coal."