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In early January, West Virginia introduced a bill, [http://booneexaminer.com/complete-bill-intrastate-coal-and-use-act-p1004-1.htm the Intrastate Coal and Use Act (HB 2554)], that would strip the EPA of its right to review permits for intrastate coal operations. The regulatory requirements established by the [[Clean Water Act]] would be enforced by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection instead. The bill is being introduced by Delegate [[Gary Howell]], R-Mineral, and who said he has the maximum number of co-sponsors behind the bill.<ref name=tk>Taylor Kuykendall, [http://www.register-herald.com/todaysfrontpage/x530792503/Bill-that-would-circumvent-EPA-coal-permits-to-be-introduced "Bill that would circumvent EPA coal permits to be introduced"] The Register Herald, Jan. 17, 2011.</ref>
According to Del. Howell: “See, with the EPA, there’s regulations. They are not actually laws. They never go through Congress and are never voted on by our representatives. That creates soft tyranny because we have no choice in the matter.” In the previous week, the EPA used its authority under the Clean Water Act to halt [[Spruce Mine No. 1]], the largest proposed surface mining project in West Virginia. The denial of the permit was only the 12th such case since 1972.<ref name=tk/> The West Virginia House and Senate also introduced bills that wold exempt guns from federal regulation if produced and used in the state.<ref>Walt Williams, [http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=93161 "Lawmakers Seek to Exempt Guns, Coal from Federal Regulation"] The State Journal, Jan. 24, 2011.</ref> What Del. Howell did not tell the press or the public when he introduced the bill was that he is a [[West Virginia ALEC Politicians#House of Delegates|member]] of the corporate bill mill, the [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] (ALEC), and that although the "Intrastate Coal and Use Act" had not been approved by ALEC as a "model" bill as of January 2011, it had been introduced at several meetings of ALEC's [[Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force]], of which Howell is a member. Also on that task force are such energy corporations as [[Peabody Energy]].<ref>American Legislative Exchange Council, [http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/1-35-day_mailing_eea_final%20new%20orleans.pdf 35-Day Mailing - Annual Meeting], organizational meeting agenda and materials, June 30, 2011, document obtained and released by Common Cause.</ref> {{about_ALEC}}
===August 2011: Coal severance tax===
