Senator Robert Byrd is making waves in his home state of West Virginia for seemingly taking on the coal industry. The editors of The State Journal write:

Lots of people are still wondering where Sen. Robert Byrd stands after his coal comments.
Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., has earned his reputation as a skilled legislator who has left his mark on West Virginia and the nation.
His remarks Dec. 3 about the coal industry and its future, however, have created consternation in business and government circles.
West Virginians who work in the coal industry and others who value coal’s contribution to the state tax base want to know what the future holds. They see the federal government disrupting surface mining and creating an uncertain future for coal while it considers cap-and-trade legislation and participates in international discussions about climate change. Coal is in the crosshairs of those discussions.
West Virginians’ fears are real and understandable, and our citizens naturally look to the state’s federal delegation for answers. We all listened intently while Byrd recently delivered his version of a state-of-the-industry address, which brought increased attention to the challenges facing coal.
While Byrd correctly noted that coal remains critical to the nation’s energy mix and a key element of the state’s economy, he said opposition to mountaintop mining is mounting nationally and in Congress. He also said we cannot ignore the mounting science of climate change and that West Virginia must remain engaged in political discussions on the issue.
Like many West Virginians, Gov. Joe Manchin was surprised by Byrd’s comments, especially those regarding mountaintop mining. Manchin said he has asked Byrd’s staff to explain the senator’s remarks in greater detail.
Many West Virginians want to know how their senior senator sees the coal industry and the issues swirling around it. Does he support mountaintop mining? What are his views about climate science?

The rest here.