Republican Congressional candidate Ryan Zinke, who is gunning for Montana’s sole seat in the US House of Representatives, got the several hundred-strong crowd fired up by saying “we are not going to power the nation on pixie dust and hope”
The event also drew Montana’s former solicitor general Lawrence VanDyke, who is trying to unseat Justice Michael E Wheat from the Supreme Court.
US Senate candidate, Republican John Ustlund, a Yellowstone County commissioner, also addressed the event along with Billings Mayor Tom Hanel.
Organiser Greg Kohn said the aim was to promote coal as a “dependable, affordable energy source”
Lobby group Count on Coal Montana spread the message that tightened Environmental Protection Agency regulations could lead to thousands of job losses, millions of dollars in tax revenue and electricity cost increases by as much as 50%.
The group said it supported the development of more coal and expanding port capacity on the west coast for export to Asia.
Count on Coal Montana executive director Chuck Denowh said that not only was coal’s future in doubt, but the entire Montana economy, and locals’ concern was reflected in their support on the day.
Cloud Peak Energy’s senior manager of government affairs Todd O’Hair noted on the day that one of his company’s largest domestic customers was Detroit Edison, whose customers are “the big three auto manufacturers – so we like to tell folks when you’re buying a GM, Ford or Chrysler product, you’re also supporting the Montana coal industry”
He brought along a simulator the company used to help teach employees how to operate heavy equipment, which children operated on the day.
O’Hair said his company spent $US23 million ($A25.35 million) on goods and services in Billings, Montana’s largest city, paid $55 million in state taxes and produced 18 million tons of coal last year – about 45% of the coal mined in the state.
Republican Steve Daines said that global events over the past fortnight had “hit home” the importance of more “made in America energy” to reduce the country’s dependence on the Middle East.
He said Montana’s coal reserves could meet the nation’s energy needs for the next century, with over half the state’s energy coming from coal, and government receiving about $125 million in tax revenues from the industry.
He said the house would vote on a bill this week addressing the controversial Keystone XL pipeline and deal with EPA regulations that limit the coal industry.
