Photo by W.Va. Legislative Photography West Virginia Sen. Chris Rose, R-Monongalia, said he is talking with other countries to help offset the loss in revenue that could come with China’s counter-tariffs on U.S. coal.

WHEELING — New West Virginia Sen. Chris Rose hasn’t even sat down yet as chairman of the Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee, but already he finds himself talking to U.S. allies about buying more West Virginia coal and natural gas.

The move comes after President Donald Trump placed a 10% additional tariff on all Chinese goods imported into the U.S., and China countered with a 15% tariff on the coal and natural gas it imports — much of which comes from West Virginia.

The freshman Rose, 34, is a Republican from Monongalia County. He explained he is the youngest person to chair the Senate Energy, Industry and Mining committee, and was a fourth-generation coal miner for 14 years.

“(The Chinese counter-tariffs) could have a significant impact if we don’t work with some of our allies to take some of that consumption of our coal and gas. I’m in talks with people from some other countries to alleviate the burden and buy some of our coal instead of China’s — and our gas, as well.” Rose said.

He noted he has spoken to representatives in Italy, Japan and India about their picking up some of West Virginia’s coal.

“They already do (import West Virginia coal and natural gas), but they also import some from China,” Rose explained. “Since these are our allies, we’re asking them to buy from us instead of China to help with this trade war.”

The countries import about $100 million of oil and natural gas each year, as well as a “couple of million tons” of coal annually from China, according to Rose.

He said he and state officials also are in talks with the Trump Administration and the Department of Energy about offsetting any potential losses West Virginia may experience as a result of China’s counter-tariffs.

Rose explained trade deals can get a little confusing as West Virginia and China each import some of the other’s coal.

He noted 10% to 15% of West Virginia coal goes to China, both steam and metallurgical. Some Chinese coal, meanwhile, is imported to West Virginia for manufacturing uses.

“It’s a very small amount,” Rose continued. “We export more than we import from China on coal and natural gas.”

He added that West Virginia alone produces enough coal and gas to replace the amount U.S. allies import from China.

“We can meet that demand and put further pressure on China to come to the table with President Trump,” Rose said. “We can be the energy hub for the United States, and we can be the lifeline to our allies in Europe.

“What needs to be done here is we do need to put some policies in place that are more in line with the current administration to make it more friendly for coal and gas consumption.”

This means ending subsidies for wind and solar production, according to Rose.

“Once we level the playing field, you’ll see more incentive to use more domestic coal and gas, and that will help with these tariffs, as well. We won’t have to worry about selling on the international market nearly as much,” he added.

In the end, he believes the tariffs set forth by the Trump administration are a good idea.

“I do, because for decades we’ve had trade deficits with these countries,” Rose said. “If you go back and look at trade deals over the years, these countries have had tariffs on us but we have not had tariffs on them. It’s been one-way trade deals that have built up trade deficits that have built up our national debt.

“While I believe our president ultimately does want free trade, he is just reciprocating what has been done to us for decades and is trying to get a fair deal.”

Rose currently works as a controls technician for an electrical utility company. Prior to that, he worked for Consol Energy for 14 years.

Consol Energy paid for his education at Bluefield State College, now Bluefield State University, while he was an employee. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology and moved his way up through the ranks in the coal industry from labor to management. He also has an associates degree in electrical engineering.

“I had to move a couple of times after being laid off a couple of times under the Obama Administration — what we called the ‘war on coal,'” he explained. “When Joe Biden came into the presidency, I didn’t want to relive those ‘war on coal’ years again.”

Rose was offered a job with the electrical utility company, and took it as it offered stability for his family and “insulation from the ‘war on coal.'”

“I loved my job in the coal industry, and I would have stayed,” he continued. “But the federal policies toward the coal industry made me look to another industry to put food on my table.”