Congressman Hal Rogers, drawn by what he called bold thinking, visited Pike County on Monday to hear plans from local leaders regarding both the county's economic future and the nation's growing need for energy independence.
Rogers, along with representatives of local governments and business leaders, toured two of the sites that county officials hope will play a big role in the county's future.
The first stop was the site at Big Shoal that Pike Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford and his administration have pointed out as a possible location for a $4 billion coal-to-liquid plant.
The second site was just off U.S. 119 at Scott Fork, where officials have said they are working to locate an energy research center, planned to help further energy technology in the country.
Rogers said he made the tour in response to a visit recently by Rutherford and Pike County Director of Energy and Technology Roger Ford, who presented preliminary studies.
"It excited me, because I really like vision and bold thinking," Rogers said. "I saw that in these bold plans, so I wanted to come see it."
Rogers said he has added wording to some legislation that is currently before Congress that addresses a number of energy issues, including "authorization and money for coal-to-liquid technology."
However, the bill, which also includes provisions to allow oil drilling on the Continental Shelf in Alaska, is currently being blocked by the Speaker of the House, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Rogers said.
For this area, though, the most important aspect is the provision for coal-to-liquid, according to Rogers.
"If there's anything we have plenty of, it's coal," he said. "We're the Saudi Arabia of coal, and Pike County's right in the middle of that.
"It could mean a huge economic development for our part of the country, (with) lots of jobs associated with it," Rogers continued. "Not to mention the importance of gaining some independence from those who have us with a chokehold in the Middle East with oil."
Rogers acknowledged, however, that the plans for the facility are very preliminary and there will be a lot of cost to the project, most of which will have to be shouldered by private industry. However, he praised the county government's efforts.
"You can't sell a vision without the facts to back it up and I think (Rutherford) and his crew have put together not only the vision but the basic facts, the underpinnings, if you will, of preliminary studies," he said. "We'll see where it goes from there."
The talk also took a political turn, with both Rogers and Rutherford voicing support for mountaintop removal coal mining, and speaking against "radical environmentalism."
"Moving away from fossil fuels is Nancy Pelosi's idea and very few others'," Rogers said. "You all know, at least in the short-term, you can't do without fossil fuels - oil, coal, whatever."
Rogers said the best thing would be to move ahead with the bill, so that, in the short-term, the fossil fuels can be used while the alternatives are developed.
"(Pelosi) will just not see to it," Rogers said. "I guess it's the radical environmentalists in San Francisco that's got her by the nape."
When asked about the recent flyover tour of mountaintop removal sites by congressmen Norm Dicks and Ben Chandler, Rogers only said that mountaintop removal is a state decision.
However, he did say he spoke with Dicks about the trip, particularly bringing up that, in Dicks' district, the biggest economic force is the aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
"I said, 'In my area, coal is the Boeing,'" Rogers said.
Rutherford also spoke against those who are opposed to mountaintop removal, commenting that he stopped by Chandler's office during his recent trip, adding, "you're known by the company you keep."
Rutherford said he is decidedly for mountaintop removal.
"It is our future," he said. "That's where we build our schools, we build our houses, where we'll build our cities in the future. Those people that criticize us do not understand that all we have is a river, a bottom, a railroad, a highway and a little place for cemeteries, then we've got mountains."
In addition to dealing with coal, Rutherford said the Energy Research Center will also focus on replanting hardwood trees in the area.
The CTL project will mean not only jobs, but high-paying jobs, according to Rutherford.
"It's our time," he said. "We're going to take advantage of this so the future generations can live. We've got to secure our future at the time we can do it."
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