A basic tenet of a healthy democracy is open dialogue and transparency"
Peter Fenn

Since its inception in 1989, the founders of Citizens Coal Council believed strongly in the power of the grassroots in standing up for both transparency and accountability.  

In a time when corporate influence on the political process has created an environment of mistrust and marginalization, the threats to protective coal policies and enforcement are becoming more frequent and drastic.

Coal industry propaganda

The coal industry and its political allies are hard at work in demonizing anyone who stands in the way of their profits.  The most recent propaganda, the so-called "War on Coal", suggests that any measures taken by legislators or regulators to protect the environment and communities from the negative impacts of coal are based on nothing more than a personal vendetta to destroy the coal industry.

The coal industry has skewed numbers to make it appear that regulations would directly eliminate a large number of jobs, when this is simply not true.  When regulators hold hearings regarding coal-related environmental rulemaking, coal companies ensure that they send workers en masse to intimidate those who are in favor of legislation.

The difficulty in this not only lies in the fact that people speaking in favor of protective rulemaking and enforcement face intimidation, but coal miners are under the impression-- based presumably on coal industry propaganda-- that the sole intention of environmentalists is eliminate their jobs, when this is not the case.

​The persistent "War on Coal" and related messages are not only plastered on billboards and yard signs throughout coal country, but have also been used by politicians to justify opposition to any rules or laws that serve to protect communities and the environment against coal's negative impacts.

The coal industry's political allies

It likely comes as little surprise that the coal industry has many supporters in Washington.  The coal industry also has deep pockets.  This tips the scales in favor of industry, much to the detriment of communities and the environment.

It may be easy for the coal industry to point the finger at environmentalists or regulations while suggesting that politicians are trying to protect coal jobs, but it's clear that the coal industry does not have the coal miner's best interest at heart, especially when actions by coal's allies show exactly where their priorities lie.  For example, the same proponents of the "War on Coal" propaganda have allowed cuts in coal miner pensions and health benefits.  

Threats to regulations and regulatory authority

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