Young Democrats in West Virginia Open New Chapter in Party Politics. By Tom Breen, AP, November 9, 2008. "Coal may keep the lights on for about half the country, but in West Virginia it also keeps politicians in office. During this year's campaign, Republicans and Democrats alike jockeyed to prove their devotion to the fuel source... It might therefore seem foolhardy to give the other party an opening by disavowing any aspect of the industry, but Danny Chiotos doesn't see it that way. Chiotos is the head of the environmental caucus of the West Virginia Young Democrats. He played a crucial role in getting that group to pass a resolution earlier this year calling for an end to new mountaintop removal permits, thereby opening a new chapter in one of the state's most contentious debates... West Virginia is the nation's second-largest coal producing state behind Wyoming, and the National Mining Association estimates mountaintop removal accounts for about one-third of the state's production. Given those facts, other members of the party -- which has long been allied with the United Mine Workers, a supporter of surface mining -- regarded the Young Democrats' resolution as misguided at best... [However, in] this year's presidential campaign... both candidates sounded various notes of concern about mountaintop removal mining, while still pledging research money for 'clean coal'' technology aimed at reducing the fuel's carbon impact. The campaign may also have showed opposition to surface mining isn't necessarily the third rail of West Virginia politics: despite calling for an outright ban on mountaintop removal, U.S. Sen. John McCain easily won the state, including all the southern coalfields counties except McDowell and Boone... Rod Snyder, president of the state's Young Democrats, believes the new activity on environmental causes will ultimately make the party stronger."
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