Freshman Republican becomes Top Industry Advocate
Freshman Republican becomes Top Industry Advocate
Manuel Quinones, E&E reporter
E&E Daily: Monday, December 19, 2011
Freshman Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) has been turning up the heat on
Office of Surface Mining Director Joseph Pizarchik over the Obama
administration’s enhanced environmental review of coal mining. An
exchange during a House Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee
hearing last month was indicative of their increasingly tense
relationship — and of Johnson’s role as one of coal’s top defenders
on Capitol Hill.
Johnson asked Pizarchik, “Is it safe to say, Mr. Director, that if you
further restrict coal mining activity with an irresponsible rewrite of
a rule that’s already in place, that it’s going to cost America jobs?”
“That is not safe to say,” Pizarchik responded sternly. Johnson shot
back, “It’s not? How can you come to that conclusion?”
The fiery congressman, elected to the House during last year’s
Republican landslide, has become one of the strongest opponents of
OSM’s controversial forthcoming stream protection rule. Coal state
lawmakers and many state regulators worry about potential job losses
and reduced coal production. And companies are trying to protect their
bottom line.
At the hearing, Johnson said, “It takes more people to enforce your
rule than it does to mine coal, for crying out loud!”
“That’s not true,” Pizarchik said. But the congressman was on the
warpath, saying at another point, “There’s expertise lacking all
across in your department, isn’t there?”
In an interview about Johnson, subcommittee ranking member Rush Holt
(D-N.J.) said, “I think he represents his interests, the interests of
his people vigorously and effectively.” Asked whether Johnson was
being too tough, Holt said, “I think I’ll leave it at that.”
“No, he is representing his area,” said Natural Resources Chairman Doc
Hastings (R-Wash.) when asked the same question. “And who best to have
an observation on that than someone who has an issue within that
area?”
Defenders like Hastings applaud Johnson’s tactics, saying he is
fighting for a cause he believes in — protecting coal industry jobs
back home and cheap electricity.
“It’s somebody who is doing it from the standpoint that it’s good for
his district,” Mike Carey, president of the Ohio Coal Association,
said in an interview. “He has a majority of the coal in his district.”
Ohio’s 6th District runs through the eastern and southeastern part of
the state and borders West Virginia. It includes the communities of
Marietta, Athens and Steubenville. Carey said the state’s proposed
congressional redistricting plan would give Johnson even more of
Ohio’s coalfields.
“One of the things about Appalachia is that it’s very difficult to be
anti-coal here,” said Eric Fitch, environmental science and biology
professor at Marietta College, in an interview. “He’s rowing in stroke
with the politicians in this part of the world.”
Fitch, like other environmental advocates, said that with his tough
defense of coal, Johnson may be ignoring its hazards to clean air and
water. “I just think he’s a very politically conservative person,” he
said. “Very strong in terms of business support.”
Industry dollars have rewarded Johnson for his support. Mining and
energy companies are among Johnson’s top donors. So far this year,
Johnson has received contributions connected to the National Mining
Association and Ohio-based American Electric Power Co. Inc.
CEO Mike Akins and other AEP executives have together given Johnson’s
re-election campaign several thousand dollars in recent months,
Federal Election Commission records show. The Center for Responsive
Politics says the congressman has received almost $30,000 connected to
mining this year.
“I think he’s in the cutting edge of the 1930s,” Fitch said. “It’s
basically anything for business.”
Fitch and Carey both agree that Johnson’s military experience may be
contributing to his style on Capitol Hill. After joining the Air Force
in 1973, the congressman rose through the ranks, spending almost 30
years in the military and retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
“I am former military as well and I respect his years of service to
the country,” Carey said. “But I have to say that I did not expect him
to be so capable” when digesting energy issues.
Johnson developed an impressive resume after leaving the military.
With a master’s degree in computer science from Georgia Tech, Johnson
helped found an information technology company. He went on to start
his own IT consulting and defense contracting firm, J2 Business
Solutions Inc.
“I think it has been outstanding,” Carey said. “It’s a breath of fresh
air to have somebody that when you’re there sitting in a meeting he
sometimes seems to know more about the issue than we do.”
But in an interview earlier this fall, Johnson, who was a political
novice when he ousted then-Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-Ohio) in 2010, said
his brief time on Capitol Hill has been an education.
“I certainly have learned a lot about the extensiveness and
onerousness of the regulatory process within the administration,”
Johnson said. “We’ve got to stop this administration’s war on coal.”
Environmentalists are glad the administration is cracking down on
mining pollution, particularly mountaintop removal strip mining, and
are clamoring for more regulation. But industry boosters say the
administration is arbitrarily, unfairly and often illegally holding
projects hostage.
“I’m not a ‘no regulation’ guy,” Johnson said. “Certainly we have a
responsibility to mine coal responsibly. But ‘no’ cannot be the
answer.”
The man Johnson defeated in 2010 recently announced he wants his old
job back. During the 2010 campaign, Johnson accused Wilson, one of the
most conservative Democrats in the House at the time, of being too
cozy with his party’s leadership, particularly then-House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Now Wilson is accusing Johnson of playing
politics in troubled times.
Even though President Obama beat Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in Ohio
during the 2008 White House election, McCain carried the 6th District.
Still, both parties have taken turns representing the area in recent
years. Before Wilson, Democrat Ted Strickland held the House seat
before becoming governor in 2006.
“I think we’re a swing area,” Fitch said. “We’re always a swing area.
I don’t think this is ever a truly safe district.”
While the coal industry appreciates Johnson’s passion, it has become a
headache for the OSM head.
“The passion is for the people in the 6th District of Ohio,” Johnson
explained. “We are very, very dependent on the coal industry. You got
thousands of jobs that are provided by the coal industry.”
Johnson promises to continue fighting the stream protection rule while
he is in Congress and pushing back against the Obama administration’s
regulatory agency.
“I dare say as long as you’re in your job,” Johnson told Pizarchik
last month, “you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together
over the next little while.”
further restrict coal mining activity with an irresponsible rewrite of
a rule that’s already in place, that it’s going to cost America jobs?”
back, “It’s not? How can you come to that conclusion?”
Republican landslide, has become one of the strongest opponents of
OSM’s controversial forthcoming stream protection rule. Coal state
lawmakers and many state regulators worry about potential job losses
and reduced coal production. And companies are trying to protect their
bottom line.
rule than it does to mine coal, for crying out loud!”
warpath, saying at another point, “There’s expertise lacking all
across in your department, isn’t there?”
(D-N.J.) said, “I think he represents his interests, the interests of
his people vigorously and effectively.” Asked whether Johnson was
being too tough, Holt said, “I think I’ll leave it at that.”
Hastings (R-Wash.) when asked the same question. “And who best to have
an observation on that than someone who has an issue within that
area?”
fighting for a cause he believes in — protecting coal industry jobs
back home and cheap electricity.
his district,” Mike Carey, president of the Ohio Coal Association,
said in an interview. “He has a majority of the coal in his district.”
the state and borders West Virginia. It includes the communities of
Marietta, Athens and Steubenville. Carey said the state’s proposed
congressional redistricting plan would give Johnson even more of
Ohio’s coalfields.
anti-coal here,” said Eric Fitch, environmental science and biology
professor at Marietta College, in an interview. “He’s rowing in stroke
with the politicians in this part of the world.”
defense of coal, Johnson may be ignoring its hazards to clean air and
water. “I just think he’s a very politically conservative person,” he
said. “Very strong in terms of business support.”
energy companies are among Johnson’s top donors. So far this year,
Johnson has received contributions connected to the National Mining
Association and Ohio-based American Electric Power Co. Inc.
re-election campaign several thousand dollars in recent months,
Federal Election Commission records show. The Center for Responsive
Politics says the congressman has received almost $30,000 connected to
mining this year.
basically anything for business.”
contributing to his style on Capitol Hill. After joining the Air Force
in 1973, the congressman rose through the ranks, spending almost 30
years in the military and retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
the country,” Carey said. “But I have to say that I did not expect him
to be so capable” when digesting energy issues.
With a master’s degree in computer science from Georgia Tech, Johnson
helped found an information technology company. He went on to start
his own IT consulting and defense contracting firm, J2 Business
Solutions Inc.
air to have somebody that when you’re there sitting in a meeting he
sometimes seems to know more about the issue than we do.”
novice when he ousted then-Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-Ohio) in 2010, said
his brief time on Capitol Hill has been an education.
onerousness of the regulatory process within the administration,”
Johnson said. “We’ve got to stop this administration’s war on coal.”
mining pollution, particularly mountaintop removal strip mining, and
are clamoring for more regulation. But industry boosters say the
administration is arbitrarily, unfairly and often illegally holding
projects hostage.
responsibility to mine coal responsibly. But ‘no’ cannot be the
answer.”
job back. During the 2010 campaign, Johnson accused Wilson, one of the
most conservative Democrats in the House at the time, of being too
cozy with his party’s leadership, particularly then-House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Now Wilson is accusing Johnson of playing
politics in troubled times.
during the 2008 White House election, McCain carried the 6th District.
Still, both parties have taken turns representing the area in recent
years. Before Wilson, Democrat Ted Strickland held the House seat
before becoming governor in 2006.
I don’t think this is ever a truly safe district.”
headache for the OSM head.
explained. “We are very, very dependent on the coal industry. You got
thousands of jobs that are provided by the coal industry.”
he is in Congress and pushing back against the Obama administration’s
regulatory agency.
last month, “you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together
over the next little while.”
