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#OpenSecrets: #JoeManchin vows to block “radical climate agenda,” rakes in #oil and #gas industry contributions

By Taylor Giorno and Jimmy Cloutier, May 12, 2023 5:35 pm

"The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a new proposal Thursday to cut #GreenhouseGas emissions from thousands of power plants burning coal or #NaturalGas two of the top sources of electricity across the United States. Sen. #JoeManchin (D-W.Va.), criticizing the 'radical' proposal, issued his own scorched earth ultimatum on Wednesday ahead of the announcement.

"Manchin, chair of the #SenateEnergyCommittee and the top recipient of contributions from the #OilAndGas industry during the 2022 election cycle, vowed Wednesday to oppose every one of President Joe Biden’s nominees for the EPA 'until they halt their government overreach.'

"'This Administration is determined to advance its radical climate agenda and has made it clear they are hellbent on doing everything in their power to regulate coal and gas-fueled power plants out of existence, no matter the cost to energy security and reliability,' Manchin wrote in a statement released Wednesday.

"What #Manchin did not disclose in his statement, however, is that the #EPA proposal would jeopardize one #WestVirginia #coal facility that’s particularly lucrative for Manchin’s family business, #Enersystems Inc., POLITICO reported. Enersystems delivers waste coal to the Grant Town power plant, which was reportedly already struggling financially, troubles that are expected to deepen with the strict new climate proposal.

"Manchin personally received $537,000 from Enersystems last year, according to POLITICO’s analysis of personal financial disclosures filed with the U.S. Senate, and he has been paid more than $5 million by the company since he was first elected in 2010. His son, Joe Manchin IV, now runs Enersystems. The Senator’s campaign has also benefited from political contributions from Enersystems, OpenSecrets reported last year."

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/05/manchins-vows-to-block-radical-climate-agenda/