MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — When City Council meets at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday night, they’re expected to join more than 300 other U.S. cities by adding their names to support for the Paris Climate Accords.
The Accords, negotiated under then-President Barack Obama, drew international praise and support from several large oil companies but condemnation from virtually every major coal company. The framework of the Accords would have significantly limited demand for coal at a time when production and employment were at their lowest levels in four decades.
“For the City of Morgantown to decide it wants to advance that policy and the notion that we’re going to do away with additional mining jobs and coal mining operations within that area — we think it’s the wrong direction for the city to go,” West Virginia Coal Association Vice President Chris Hamilton said Tuesday on Morgantown AM.
The resolution, placed on the agenda following the last Committee of the Whole meeting, lacks specificity at present. But Council members have expressed to WAJR an interest in using their support for the Accords to slowly phase in higher energy efficient city vehicles as older vehicles are retired, upgrading city-supported lighting with more efficient LED bulbs, making city buildings more energy efficient, and encouraging businesses within the city to operate with greater emphasis on energy efficiency.
“The City Council wants to encourage county or city residents to be more conservative in their energy consumption,” Hamilton said. “We’re all for that.”
But Hamilton said there are other issues here, describing the resolution as a “capital ‘p’ political statement.”
“We think it’s an affront to every coal miner, every coal mining operation, every vendor, equipment manufacturer, that within the town of Morgantown area that works toward producing coal-fired electricity,” he said.
Hamilton said the council should reconsider the resolution.
“Coal still represents a significant portion of the city and county’s revenues,” he said.
The resolution will be heard under it’s first reading at Tuesday night’s meeting.
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