The Kentucky Coal Association has selected Sam McKown as its new president and executive director.

“I am excited to build on and continue the vital mission of the Kentucky Coal Association,” said McKown. “A cornerstone industry of the Commonwealth, coal not only powers Kentucky, but it supports thousands of jobs from one end of our state to the other. I look forward to working with KCA members as well as leaders in both Washington and Frankfort to move the industry forward.”

Most recently, Sam was a national political consultant and pollster. In 2023, he served as Political Director for U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s presidential campaign. He has also served as an aide to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) in Washington, D.C., and as an aide to Governor Bevin in Kentucky.

Sam grew up in Ohio County, Kentucky, and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

To access additional information from the Kentucky Coal Association, please visit www.kentuckycoal.com.

LEXINGTON, KY–Anheuser-Busch is running a Super Bowl commercial claiming that Budweiser is “now brewed with wind power for a better tomorrow.” Budweiser beer cans now say “brewed with 100% renewable electricity from wind power.”

According to Tyler White, President of the Kentucky Coal Association, “Actually, Budweiser is brewed with mostly fossil fuels.”

Two-thirds of the energy used to brew Budweiser is industrial heat (not electricity), which Anheuser-Busch admits comes from “a mixture of energy sources including natural gas.”

Only one-third is electricity–and even most of that doesn’t come from wind. Because wind is an erratic energy source, no electric grid on Earth uses it as a primary fuel.

But according to White, “Anheuser-Busch and other publicity-seeking companies want to pretend they are 100% wind. So they pay power companies to give them credit for the wind power others use–and give others the blame for all the coal, natural gas, and nuclear power that Anheuser-Busch uses. This unjust scam is called ‘renewable electricity credits.’ Anheuser-Busch buys credits from a wind project near Billing, Oklahoma–even though no Budweiser beer is brewed in Oklahoma.”

When companies like Anheuser-Busch, Facebook, Apple, and Google lie about their energy usage by claiming to use 100% wind or solar, they encourage dangerous policies to prohibit the use of reliable power sources like coal, gas, and nuclear.

“Anheuser-Busch should pull its Super Bowl commercial,” says White, “and apologize to all Americans—including the workers of the coal, natural gas, and nuclear industries—for its ‘100% wind powered’ lie.”

Lexington – The following statement may be attributed to Tyler White, President of the Kentucky Coal Association, in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed revisions to the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for carbon dioxide emissions from new coal-fired power plants.

“This reasonable proposal is vital to keeping Americans safe by ensuring that our nation can construct efficient, reliable and resilient new coal-fired power plants.   Coal is the backbone of American energy, providing 30 percent of the nation’s energy and nearly 80 percent of Kentucky’s.  If adopted, the proposed NSPS will ensure that coal can continue to provide grid resiliency and security for American energy dominance for years to come through the use of demonstrated technologies rather than technologies that remain unproven and uneconomical.”

 -Tyler White

“If adopted, the proposed NSPS — established under Section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act — would replace the current NSPS that were adopted in 2015.  The current NSPS are based on the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which is a promising but not economically viable technology for coal-fired power plants.  Requiring the use of CCS technology effectively banned new coal plants by making them prohibitively expensive.”

-American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1352&context=bureau_be&fbclid=IwAR0NwC8_NGHIRKe3uTbKnGPcvSMLhpUr1lHz9ijpUw-nMfutvSf6IleqSdM

At KCA, it’s our mission to lead the coal industry in the Bluegrass. Coal touches everyone across the Commonwealth, powering our state literally and figuratively. That’s why we want all Kentuckians to have the opportunity to get connected with the coal industry. You can join the coal conversation at our educational, interactive Kentucky Coal Annual Meeting on September 6^th-7^th in Lexington.

Where’s the action?
The event begins with a reception at Limestone Hall, one of the newest event spaces in Lexington. This picturesque space is nestled on the top floor under the recently renovated rotunda in the historic courthouse downtown. The next morning, the action heats up at the Hilton Downtown Lexington with a full day of presentations and events. You won’t want to miss our engaging speaker lineup!

KCA was the recent recipient of a grant for over $120,000 to incorporate coal into the curriculum at Junior Achievement Biztown. We’ve been busy working with the Cabinet for Energy and Environment to implement our coal unit into the curriculum and will expose over 65,000 kids to our industry over the next five years. That’s why our Annual Meeting will include a trip to Junior Achievement Biztown, where our supporters can see firsthand the impact that this program will have on local youth. During this portion of the event, we’ll be joined by Governor Matt Bevin for the Keynote Address.

After lunch, we’ll hold our KCA Annual Board of Directors meeting, which is open to our entire membership. This is a great opportunity to understand the inner workings of our organization. Dinner will take place at the Kentucky Castle, where we’ll enjoy a keynote address from Alex Epstein of The Center for Industrial Progress.

Who’s on the guest list?
We’re thrilled to welcome a curated group of coal industry insiders to our Annual Meeting:

Renee Shaw and her guests discuss energy policy. Scheduled guests: Tyler White, president of the Kentucky Coal Association; Tom FitzGerald, director of the Kentucky Resources Council; Bill Barr, co-founder and managing partner of BlackRidge Resource Partners and chair of the Kentucky Oil and Gas Association’s government affairs committee; and Sarah Lynn Cunningham, an environmental engineer and president of the board of directors of the Kentucky Conservation Committee.

Americans have been exceptionally fortunate in recent decades to enjoy robust power generation to heat their homes, refrigerate their food, and deliver clean drinking water. Unlike many countries, the United States maintains affordable, non-stop, 24/7 electricity. It’s an impressive feat in a nation of 325 million that continues to add more than 2 million people annually.

As America increases its use of intermittent wind and solar power, it’s important to examine whether the nation can continue to meet its overall energy needs. Recently, Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced a review of the stability of the nation’s power grid—and just as the nation faces conflicting energy problems. Nuclear power, which generates about a fifth of America’s electricity, appears to be winding down, thanks to prohibitive construction costs. And while natural gas generates a third of the nation’s power, export controls are being lifted—which could lead to price increases as both domestic and overseas demand is rising.

Secretary Perry has his work cut out for him, since the task of securing America’s energy grid could stumble into a perfect storm of higher prices. And much-touted renewable power faces its own troubling drawbacks—since the wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine. If Washington bets the farm on natural gas and renewables, it’s unclear whether the nation will still be able to meet base load power needs while also maintaining affordable pricing.

These are important issues for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to consider. But news of Secretary Perry’s study has stirred up controversy nevertheless. The nation’s wind and solar groups have expressed concern over Perry’s intent to conduct a thorough review of the cost-benefit ratios involved in power grid reliability. And with taxpayer-funded subsidies for renewable projects under scrutiny, these groups very much want to justify their position.

Notably, coal still undergirds America’s overall power generation. And with the DOE looking to keep the lights on, coal may play a surprisingly strong role in the coming years.

Right now, coal provides roughly one-third of total U.S. power generation. And 13 states depend on coal for more than half of their overall power supply. Unfortunately, this workhorse effort appears under-appreciated. For example, less than 10 percent of voters in a recent study correctly assessed the scale of emissions reductions attained by coal-powered plants over the past 40 years.

Evidently though, any discussion of coal’s strengths, or the subsidies parceled out to wind and solar projects, disturbs the renewable energy industry. In a recent letter to Secretary Perry, these groups argued that they shouldn’t share the blame for coal’s woes which, they insist, merely stem from low natural gas prices.

But Obama Administration regulations posed real consequences. As Duke University’s Nicholas School has reported, recent government regulations threatened the viability of 56 percent of U.S. coal plants, while competition from much-touted low natural gas prices threatened only 9 percent. Conversely, mounting federal subsidies for renewable energy have shielded the wind and solar industry from competition at the expense of competing sources like coal.

According to the Institute for Energy Research, government policies have meant solar power being subsidized by over 345 times more than coal, and wind being subsidized over 52 times more. And this subsidization is costly. DOE data reveals that each energy sector requires vastly different labor inputs: one coal worker equals two natural gas workers, or 12 wind industry employees, or 79 solar workers. And while coal creates 7,800 jobs per Megawatt-hour, wind yields only 2,200, and solar 98. Without subsidies, wind and solar would fare poorly in the free market against coal and natural gas.

States need to protect their base load power, and Secretary Perry is taking a prudent approach in examining such considerations. The heavily subsidized growth of renewables is indeed impacting other power sources, leaving U.S. taxpayers paying more for a less diverse supply of energy. Thus, Perry is right to consider whether America is still on track to meet future power needs, and at a price that consumers can afford.

Terry Jarrett is an energy attorney and consultant who has served on both the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the Missouri Public Service Commission.

For the Kentucky Coal Association, the election of President Donald Trump gave us hope. Instead of vilifying coal like President Barack Obama did, the Trump administration recognizes that coal is a reliable and affordable source of energy.

Coal powers our homes and businesses, and the low energy costs it provides gives the commonwealth a competitive advantage when attracting new employers and jobs. Most members of Kentucky’s congressional delegation have been fighting against the “war on coal” for many years, and Trump has been a fierce ally in getting meaningful regulatory relief across the finish line.

I want to take this opportunity to thank our elected officials who’ve been working to undo some of the damage from the last eight years.

When Trump entered office, Congress and this administration came together to overturn the Obama-era stream buffer rule that attempted to make coal too expensive to mine or use. Even worse, the rule could have put as many as one-third of coal-related jobs at risk.

Sen. Mitch McConnell used his role as majority leader to prioritize the repeal of this regulation by introducing a resolution to overturn this anti-coal rule, the first regulation overturned by the Senate this year. I was proud to stand with McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul as Trump signed the resolution into law, signaling a new era for federal treatment of Kentucky coal.

Next, Trump used a pair of executive orders to dismantle other devastating anti-coal regulations. First, he stopped a rule that tried to extend the federal bureaucracy into nearly every pothole, ditch and puddle — often referred to as the waters of the U.S. rule. Then, his Energy Independence Executive Order initiated the repeal of a pair of regulations seeking to close existing coal-fired plants across the nation and prevent new ones from being built.

KCA also thanks Trump for his recent decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. McConnell and Paul joined a letter in the Senate and representatives Andy Barr and James Comer signed onto a similar letter in the House urging the president to protect Kentucky coal communities and withdraw the U.S. from this unattainable agreement.

In addition to helping deliver regulatory relief to struggling coal communities, Kentucky senators and representatives have also secured new research funding to support technological advancements for coal. The most recent government-funding legislation included over $660 million to support a Department of Energy program focused on developing new coal technology, which is important to keeping coal competitive.

The industry simply wants to get Washington bureaucracy out of the way so that coal can compete on the open market. Those who blame coal’s downturn on cheap natural gas prices are missing the full picture and are too quick to forget natural gas’ characteristic price volatility. When the Obama administration put coal at a disadvantage, the marketplace followed that direction.

Although it will take some time to recover from the Obama administration’s regulatory damage, I am encouraged that we have recently seen slight increases in coal production in some places and some federal projections estimate increased production over the next few years. It’s too early to say whether a trend in increased coal production will come to fruition, but the regulatory relief has restored some hope.

Trump and leaders in Congress like McConnell have created an optimism about coal by offering their support to struggling communities. As a result, we have seen idle mines start back production and new companies begin operations in some of the most devastated regions of our state. We know that there is still much work to do for Kentucky’s coal country but together we are making strides in a positive direction.

John Oliver — and a giant squirrel — made the king of coal seriously angry.

Robert Murray, the CEO of one of America’s largest coal companies, filed a defamation lawsuit against Oliver on Wednesday. The lawsuit claims the HBO comedian executed a “meticulously planned” and “ruthless character assassination” designed to boost TV ratings and hurt his mining company.

The lawsuit named Oliver, the show’s production company, his senior news producer Charles Wilson, HBO and Time Warner (TWX) (which owns CNN). The complaint alleges that Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” episode on Sunday “incited” viewers to “do harm to Mr. Murray and his companies.” It also claims the miner’s website was hacked as a result of the segment, and that Oliver’s statements constitute “false light invasion of privacy” and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

During his June 18 show, Oliver lambasted President Trump over his promises to bring back thousands of coal mining jobs, a pledge the comedian says is a false promise to an industry that’s been in a steep decline for decades.

The segment, which has been viewed 4.5 million times on YouTube, devoted several minutes to Murray, the CEO of Murray Energy, and a vocal champion of the coal industry. Oliver told the audience that Murray had warned him he would sue and bring the case all the way to the Supreme Court if he failed to “cease and desist” any effort to “defame, harass, or otherwise injure Mr. Murray or Murray Energy.”

Oliver said on air that he would “proceed with caution,” and then he launched into a monologue comparing the 77-year-old coal exec to a “geriatric Dr. Evil.” The segment chronicled Murray’s career in mining and his handling of a 2007 mine collapse in Utah that left six miners and three rescuers dead.

“An honest conversation about coal and its miners needs to be had,” Oliver said, “and we should neither cease nor desist from having it.”

But the complaint alleges that Oliver and the show “intentionally, falsely, and outrageously” suggested that Murray had no evidence to support statements that the mine collapse was caused by an earthquake. The lawsuit claims Oliver ignored studies supporting Murray and quoted others out of context.

Oliver later recounted a story — that Murray has denied happened — that the CEO told workers the idea for starting a mine company came to him from a squirrel.

At the end of the show, the HBO host trotted a man dressed in a giant squirrel costume onto stage to address Murray directly. “Bob, I just wanted to say if you plan on suing, I do not have a billion dollars, but I do have a check for three acorns and 18 cents,” the squirrel said.

“It’s made out to ‘Eat sh*t Bob!,” the squirrel said, while holding up a giant fake check with “kiss my ass!” scrawled in the memo field.

Oliver acknowledged during the show that Murray is “probably going to sue me.” He added, “You know what? I stand by everything I said.”

In a statement, HBO said: “We have confidence in the staff of Last Week Tonight and do not believe anything in the show this week violated Mr. Murray’s or Murray Energy’s rights.”

Murray Energy’s complaint referred to Oliver, who is British, as a “foreign national residing in New York.” The company, in a separate statement, called Murray a “patriotic American.”

The lawsuit also described Murray as seriously ill, saying he depends on an oxygen tank, needs a lung transplant and “does not expect to live to see the end of this case.”

“Nothing has ever stressed him more than this vicious and untruthful attack,” the complaint said, adding it has caused “significant emotional and physical distress.”

Murray Energy said that after the Oliver show, its website was attacked three different times by hackers who attempted to crash it. On the third attempt, Murray Energy said it had to take down its website to implement new security measures.

Murray Energy also said it received “numerous harassing telephone calls,” including from callers who simply said: “Eat Sh*t, Bob.”

The coal magnate has spoken out publicly to criticize environmental restrictions on the coal industry and has described former President Barack Obama’s agenda as “evil.”

Murray also filed a libel suit against the New York Times earlier this year for statements it made about the Utah mine collapse. The Times said it has moved to dismiss the suit.

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