From a Mongiardo Campaign Press Release of February 4, 2009
Of all the Democratic U.S. Senate candidates in Kentucky, Mongiardo has been the most outspoken and vocal critic of the Obama Administration’s and Congress’ attempt to pass a national energy bill that punishes coal producing states like Kentucky. Mongiardo calls "Cap and Trade" legislation "nothing more than a huge new energy tax on Kentucky coal that will devastate Kentucky’s manufacturing base and significantly increase every Kentucky consumer’s electric bill." Mongiardo described EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s announcement that the EPA intended to unilaterally and selectively enforce carbon emission standards on some industries without waiting for Congressional action as being "outrageous" and "ill conceived."
Dan Mongiardo's response to proposed federal government cuts to the coal industry:
"Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo says if anything, more money needs to be invested in coal.
“We need to figure out a way to bring coal into the 21st century using new coal technologies. Using coal to liquids, coal to fuels, so that we can decrease our dependence on foreign oil,” Mongiardo said."