1/21/2003

Delegate Blasts Former Coach

Staff
State Capitol

Listen to Caputo's comments

A member of the House of Delegates says all state lawmakers should be outraged by recent comments made by former WVU football coach Don Nehlen.

Marion County Delegate Mike Caputo made a brief speech on the House floor Tuesday to criticize Nehlen's recent statements about coal. Caputo called the comments "downright crazy." Caputo is a top official with the United Mine Workers Union.

Nehlen is the spokesman for the new Friends of Coal group. He was speaking with coal operators earlier this month when he promoted relaxing some regulations in order for the United States coal industry to be able to compete with China.

Delegate Caputo says Nehlen apparently hasn't done his homework. He says there are neither safety nor environmental regulations in China. He says 10,000 coal miners die a year there.

Caputo wonders if Nehlen's comments represent the new position of the coal industry. Caputo says Nehlen should rethink his position, and coal operators may consider looking elsewhere for a new spokesman.