Daines: Obama's War on Energy Hurts Montana Jobs

Press Release

Congressman Steve Daines today responded to President Barack Obama's announced plan to impose new regulations on America's energy industry, calling the proposals "a war on American energy" that would raise energy prices and cost jobs.

"President Obama's commitment to waging a war on American energy is crystal clear," Daines stated. "By imposing further barriers to the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and working to severely hinder American coal production, President Obama has unveiled a misguided agenda that will only hurt Montana energy consumers and cost good-paying Montana jobs. This job-killing agenda will be imposed through unilateral action, demonstrating that the President is more set on achieving his own political goals, rather than listening to the will of the American people and working to create much-needed jobs and lowering energy costs through expanded energy development. This is a war on Montana energy, Montana families and small businesses and Montana jobs, and I will remain steadfast in the fight to stop the President's job-killing agenda."

Key Facts on Montana Energy

- Montana's coal mining industry employs approximately 1,215 workers
- Montana contains more coal reserves than any other state and ranks number six overall in coal production nationwide
- Montana gets more than half its power from coal, keeping electricity prices low. The average retail price in Montana is currently 8.42 cents per kilowatt hour, among the lowest in the nation.
- The Keystone XL pipeline is poised to directly create nearly 1,000 Montana jobs
- Rural electric cooperatives that would provide power to Keystone XL pump stations have stated that failure to construct the pipeline would lead to a 40 percent increase in consumer electric rates over the next 10 years

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