West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney said the rules are having a negative impact on power plants and pocket books of people in West Virginia.

By Courtney Clark

CHARLESTON --  The Environmental Protection Agency's air quality rules and how they impact the coal industry are the focus of this year's West Virginia Coal Forum.

The event kicked off Wednesday morning at the Marriott in Charleston.

It featured United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts, representatives of West Virginia's Congressional Delegation, members of the state Legislature and representatives of the coal industry.

West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney said the EPA's "unrealistic rules, politics and time tables" are having a negative impact on power plants and pocket books of people in West Virginia.

"These negative impacts, they'd be bad on their own, bad at any time, but they really seem ridiculous today when the country's economy is absolutely in shambles," said Raney.

According to Raney, the rules not only affect West Virginia, but the entire country.

They also touched on other coal-related issues, such as the level of competitiveness and productivity of the industry, miner's health and safety issues, and the overall image of the coal industry.