Crutchfield took pen to paper for an op-ed that appeared on TriCities entitled “Open Invitation for EPA to Visit Bristol”, asking the agency to take its “listening tour” to the Virginia town and the coal-rich southern West Virginia towns it neighbors.

“They're conveniently skipping the 10 states with the highest percentage of electricity generated from coal...and the very areas where that coal is mined,” he said.

Crutchfield, at the helm of what has now become the nation’s second-largest producer, noted that the outlines included in the president’s Climate Action Plan – a reduction of emissions of more than 40% – was not possible with any technology currently ready for market.

“Thus, these regulations would prevent construction of any new coal-fired power plants, which, of course, is part of the plan. To wit, there are only two plants finishing construction and none on the drawing board,” he noted.

He also asked for further consideration of President Obama’s plans for rigorous carbon-dioxide emissions measures on 1,000 existing coal-fired generating units in the US, which in turn deliver about 40% of the nation’s electricity.

“What you won't hear mentioned in all of this is that even if we unilaterally shut down America's entire fleet of coal-fired power plants, it would take out roughly three percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

“That's it. That's all you would get.”

He called for the EPA to follow through on its mission democratically, via Congressional action instead of regulatory fiat, and said that the agency’s "listening tour" in places like San Francisco, Seattle, Boston and New York City “will provide only part of the story”.

“If the tour stops were representative of that middle-class America we hear so much about, they would hear more about the real story of coal from the very people who touch it or are touched by it,” Crutchfield said.

In his op-ed, the Alpha officials noted that the anecdotes that the EPA would hear by coming to coal country would, by contrast, show the rough economic shape that the coalfields are in.

He also acknowledged that some of that is attributable to “honest competition” from cheap natural gas stemming from new fracking methods.

“But a good deal of coal's demise has been brought to bear by an Administration that's making it so difficult for utilities to use coal that nearly a fourth of the nation's coal-fired generating units already have been mothballed—including 16 here in Virginia,” the executive said.

“They would hear from the thousands of laid off miners—sadly, some who worked at mines we've been forced to close—and from the owners of gas stations, sandwich shops and corner stores that depend so heavily on the economic benefits that well-paying coal jobs spin off in our communities.

“They would hear that companies like Alpha, with deep ties to communities that we've developed over years, are being forced to reduce the amount we're able to invest in those communities because coal consumption is being driven down and revenues are shrinking.”

Crutchfield noted that Virginia-based Alpha, which holds much of its interests in Appalachia, has given more than $US8 million in community and philanthropic help over the past two-and-a-half years to help the coalfield region grow in education, arts and culture, social development and human services.

Also, should the Administration’s mission to “eradicate coal” continue, the money to support the region’s future, including community investment and research and technology advancements will remain on a downward slide.

“What it all comes down to is this: If the EPA continues to expand its exclusionary energy policy, the benefits that coal producers in this region spin off locally will continue to shrink as the industry shrinks,” he said, noting that Alpha has already gone from 145 producing coal mines at the beginning of last year to fewer than 90 now.

The company has also cut more than 3000 workers from its payroll.

“On the basis of these facts, I think a visit to coal country would do the EPA good,” Crutchfield said.

“Come to a place like Charleston, Beckley or Bristol and find out what your regulations really mean to America. We're here to listen—but also to be heard.”