January 29, 2021

Dear Governors of ALL 50 States of the United States of America,

Thank you for serving as our Governors in these great states.  We are certain that you receive absurd amounts of correspondences in your position.  We appreciate that you have taken the time to read our letter.  With that said, let’s get to the point of this letter.

As we are sure you are aware, there is grave concern for the future of our beloved country, as well as each of our states.  The current Administration in the White House is causing a slew of dissatisfaction across the land; immigration concerns, tax concerns, ‘green’ concerns and last but not least, economic concerns.

The economic concern is the one we will focus on with this letter. With all due respect, the Gas, Oil, Coal and Steel Industries CANNOT be shut down.  While the Oil & Gas Industries have been hit the hardest with this New Administration, we must all band together!  Even temporarily stifling these industries causes great strain, not only on these industry workers, but everyone in the USA and even abroad.  The country and these states depend on the good jobs, the health benefits, the pensions, as well as the paychecks these careers offer.  No matter whether Union or Non-Union workers, no matter Republican or Democrat, no matter election fraud or none, the future of our country is at stake here!

With the EO’s signed in recent days, thousands of workers have lost their jobs with the swipe of a pen.  This is unacceptable.  This is unacceptable not only to the workers and their families, but also the companies in which they work, the small businesses that they support, and the local and state economies in which they work and live.  Many states, like Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Utah, have already spoken out over the serious concern for the well-being of their state’s future.  Some legislative action has been proposed to fight these EO's as well.  It cannot stop with the few.  While some states will be affected more than others, we ALL have ties to these industries and our surrounding communities.  We ARE the UNITED STATES of America and we each bare a responsibility for the overall economic health of this country.

As we are sure you are well aware, descent paying jobs and good, hard workers stimulate any economy.  Without these jobs and workers, wait staff lose tips, small businesses lose profit and inflation, poverty, and crime creep in.  New businesses, big or small, do not want and cannot afford to risk opening in an areas where crime and or drug use has flourished.  Without the existing work and the planned construction in our states, where will we be?  Please do not allow Washington D.C. to direct the outcome of our great states.

Many of us have found great opportunity in the Coal, Gas, Oil & Steel industry.  We are begging you to fight for these industries with everything you have!!  We ARE good, hard working citizens of your states and this great America and we care about the direction of this Nation and the livelihood of not only ourselves, but our friends and neighbors as well.  We firmly believe in the fossil fuel industries and America’s independence from outside corrupt countries!  Further, America has an infrastructure already in place that demands these skilled workers keep their jobs and continue to provide inspections, maintenance and even replacements where necessary to keep people safe and warm.  An attack on the Oil & Gas Industry by a small group of politicians is an act of harassment at minimum and potentially criminal. 

John Kerry said “the fastest growing job in the United States, before Covid, was Solar Power Technician.  The same people can do those jobs.”  I took the liberty of searching for job listings on Indeed.com for exactly that (a Solar Power Technician) in the largest market near me, Pittsburgh, PA;  As of today, there were TWO job listings.  One of them, advertised at $15 to $24 per hour, well below most positions on the pipelines, and has specific requirements:  “A degree in an appropriate field and 3-5 years’ relevant work experience are required,”.  While some workers may have a Technical degree or higher, it is extremely likely that these folks started straight out of High School being trained 1st hand to be the skilled labor that they are.  Surely, as Governors, you understand that transitioning into a brand new line of work can be one of the most difficult transitions many folks will ever make.  The repercussions, short and long term, of a pen swipe cannot be the future of our America.

Cancelling good paying jobs only hurts American families, towns and states.  This type of financial hardship has a long, difficult road to recovery.  Further, rhetoric from Environmentalist Groups claiming that these industries are hurting America is simply not true.  These industries strive diligently to meet the Federal Regulations that are required of them, yet they get punished for their efforts?  The decisions affecting thousands of workers should not be allowed to be decided by one person.  The decisions affecting business owners and state economies should not be allowed to be decided by one person.  The future of these industries should not and cannot be decided by one person.  Period.  There is too much at stake! 

What are you willing to do to help secure the future of ALL fossil fuel jobs in America??  Isn’t it time that states come together and tell the new Administration that we DO NOT SUPPORT their agenda and we DO NOT APPRECIATE the apparent attack on the fossil fuel industry!  Enough is Enough!! Your state needs you! Your country needs you!!

We voted for you and now we need you to stand for us!!

Sincerely,

The Concerned Residents of the UNITED States of America!