Oct. 20--CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Joe Manchin repeated Monday his charge that a federal crackdown on mountaintop mining permits was "beyond cruel," but the governor also presented a more nuanced position on environmental regulation and suggested the state is ready to move away from its dependence on extraction industries.

"If it is doing too much harm, maybe we should stop doing certain things," Manchin said.

His comments came after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's announcement Friday that it was planning to revoke a permit for what was set to become the largest surface mine in Appalachia, the Spruce No. 1 Surface Mine in Logan County.

An Arch Coal subsidiary was issued a water quality permit by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to mine the 2,300-acre site in early 2007, although a court fight has held up mining there.

The governor on Monday repeated criticisms of the EPA, saying the agency was acting capriciously at best by reviewing permits that had seemed ready for approval.

But he also called for "balance" from regulators.

On one hand, he suggested environmental "agency gurus" and bureaucrats were going further with mining regulations than President Barack Obama would if he had "the total facts."

Manchin said he expected eventually to have a meeting with top White House officials, perhaps including the president.

On the other hand, Manchin appeared ready for compromise.

"I'm not going up there just to complain," Manchin said of a future trip to Washington. "I'm going up to say what we've done and what we're willing to do, and how I think there can be balance."

The EPA is reviewing dozens of other mountaintop removal permits to see if mining operations can comply with water quality standards. The coal industry says the agency is in danger of seriously hurting businesses and sending jobs oversees. Environmentalists say the EPA is just following laws that have been ignored in the past.

"If it's too much of a degradation, then we shouldn't do it," Manchin said.

At another point he said, "We want to be part of the solution."

But the governor also said there is no replacement for coal as an energy source in the near term.

"If they have something they've found in the last month or two, I wish they'd share it with me," Manchin said.

Vivian Stockman, of the Huntington-based Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, said there is a crisis because state leaders have allowed a coal-based "mono-economy to fester" and don't have a plan for what happens once coal is gone.

"It'd be nice if we had some politicians with some vision toward the future, with some leadership and, frankly, some cojones to stand up to the industry and say, 'Look guys we need to start planning here,' " Stockman said. "One way or another, change is coming -- coal is a finite resource."

Manchin's comments on the EPA and coal followed a press conference announcing the formation of the West Virginia BioScience Association.

The group of private companies and government agencies, including Marshall and West Virginia University, want to coordinate bioscience research and encourage economic development through biotechnology.

"The technology is where it's happening, and we have to diversify this economy," Manchin said during the press conference.

He also said West Virginia is going to have to "change our economy."

"We're at that point now," Manchin said.

Contact writer Ry Rivard at ry.rivard@dailymail.com or 304-348-1796.

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