ARLINGTON, Va. -- Rep. Shelly Moore Capito , R-W.Va., former Virginia Governor and Senator George Allen, former Congressman Scott McInnis , R-Colo., and RNC Chairman Mike Duncan will announce on Wednesday the McCain-Palin campaign's Coalition to Protect Coal Jobs, a nationwide group including members of Congress, state government and other leaders.

Organizers said the coalition will help spread the message about the importance of clean coal technology and the advantages of tapping the country's vast coal reserves.

As part of John McCain's "all of the above" energy plan, the Lexington Project, clean coal will be a strong component of the drive to energy independence. In addition to providing domestic energy, the coal industry is a key part of the economy in several states.

In a news release, a McCain spokeswoman said McCain's support for clean coal technology is "in sharp contrast to that of his opponents."

Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden visited Virginia on Saturday, saying that he was a "hard-coal miner," that it was "nice to be back in coal country" and that "Senator Obama's a friend of coal." Two days later in Ohio, according to the McCain news release, Biden said he wants "no coal plants here in America" and that he and Senator Obama are "not supporting clean coal."

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