{Abingdon, Virginia}...During a field hearing Monday, Alpha Natural Resources President Paul Vining said the EPA so-called "war on coal" is a war on affordable electricity. Vining acknowledged that energy markets are cyclical and this is the first downturn the coal industry has faced. Vining argued regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency are "significantly and artificially" influencing markets, and the casualties will be American consumers, businesses and manufacturers. Kentucky Republican U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield led the meeting of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power in Abingdon, Virginia, where Alpha is based.
