Rep.. Harrison,
 
I recently saw a news report where you had introduced a bill in your legislature that would require that your state would no longer buy coal mined from mountain top mining. The report went on to say that you are going to try to get this legislation passed at the federal level.
 
I am a newly elected democratic county commissioner in rural West Virginia and I am wondering if you have even visited such a site first hand or do you get your information from biased environmental groups? Have you visited a post mining site? Do even understand how mining in areas such as I live in are impacted economically by the coal mining industry?

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Friends of Coal has begun their classes on “What Is Coal?” for the third grade class of St. Frances De Sales Catholic School in Beckley.  The ladies have prepared a one hour class for 6 weeks consisting of 5 weeks of classroom time and ending a field trip to the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine on the 6th week.  The classes began on April 29 with classroom instruction by the ladies, Jaydee Fairchild spoke on the procedures of surface mining  on May 6.  Scheduled for May 13 is speaker Robert Worley, discussing underground mining, May 20, Dave Langford with AEP and May 27 will be Bill Raney and Janet Lilly, Assistant Superintendent of Schools.  June 3 will the final phase of their classes with the field trip to the Beckley Exhibition Mine, visiting the superintendent’s house, miner’s house and the company store.
           
Great job ladies!

Please mark your calendars for next year’s Mining Symposium for February 3 – 5th, 2010 at the Charleston Civic Center.  The Holiday Inn Express (304.345-0600) has again been reserved for lodging and hospitality rooms.

There are still openings for the CEDAR Golf Tournament on May 19th and 20th. If anyone needs an application contact Bud Clapp at, e-mail bud.clapp@nscorp.com or 304-324-2430.


            The 2008 Holmes Safety Awards banquet was held last weekend and we would like to congratulate all of the winners.

On Friday (5/1), the WV Office of Miners Health Safety & Training filed a set of rules with the Secretary of State's Office Governing the Safety of Miners Employed in and around River Loadouts.
 

On Wednesday, a group of WVCA Associate Members will meet with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in Washington to discuss the current situation with EPA’s disruption with permitting and how it is affecting their businesses here in West Virginia.  WVCA’s Associate Member Chairman Dan Pochick (Rish Equipment) requested the meeting and will be joined by Pat Graney (Petroleum Products), Scott Kiem (Marshall Miller & Associates) and Bill Carper (Norfolk Southern and Pocahontas Land), along with DC representatives of Norfolk Southern.  They will meet with Amelia Salzman, CEQ’s Associate Director for Policy Outreach.  This is so important since it will bring attention to the fact that EPA, Interior and other federal agency decisions reach deeply into our communities and pose a very real and dramatic threat to our families and their livelihoods.  

On Friday evening, two familiar names will be added to the prestigious West Virginia Coal Hall of Fame at its 12th Annual Induction Banquet at Stonewall Resort.  The induction ceremony will be part of the Annual Joint Meeting of the Coal Association and the WV Coal Mining Institute.
Many remember Don as the owner/operator of Premium Energy and several other award winning companies as well as the designer and developer of the Twisted Gun Golf Course as he reclaimed one of hisMingo County operations.  Brett, of course, is the President and CEO of Consol Energy and Chairman and CEO of CNX Gas.  Congratulations to both gentlemen who have had such an indelible, positive influence on our industry’s future by providing a rich heritage of integrity, pride and accomplishment.
 
Please call Nancy Ireland at the Institute (304.293.5695 Ext. 2100) if you wish to attend the Induction Banquet on Friday evening at Stonewall Resort.
 

ICG Senior Vice President Gene Kitts spoke to a large, attentive crowd on Thursday at an Industry Forum sponsored by the Beckley Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce.  The details of Gene’s presentation are described in the article at the end of Coal Bits. 
 


Coal official says EPA putting W.Va. jobs at risk
Beckley Register Herald - April 30, 2009
A new review process of all pending coal mining permit applications by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is putting thousands of West Virginia jobs at risk, a coal official said at an industry forum inBeckley Thursday.
“The uncertainty of the process is putting the state’s entire coal industry at risk,” said Gene Kitts, senior vice president of mining service for International Coal Group, a state coal producer.

The EPA’s decision to reject two permits for mountaintop mining for sites in Boone County and Pike County, Ky. has caused local governing officials to take a stance.

All three Mingo County Commissioners sent letters to Sen. John D. (Jay) Rockefeller (D-WV), Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) and Congressman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) expressing concern about the current status of mountaintop removal as well as the intense scrutiny the Environmental Protection Agency has admitted using for such operations.

In March the EPA placed hundreds of mountaintop mining operations on notice, saying it “needs to review their impact on local streams and wetlands before they can move forward.”

County commission president John Mark Hubbard, Vice-president Greg “Hootie” Smith and Commissioner David Baisden told the senators and congressman the MCC is in full support of mountaintop removal explaining it is “crucial not only to southern West Virginia, but the United States as a whole.”

International Coal Group Eastern joined the Department of Environmental Protection and several other organizations on Thursday to give back to the Earth.

View Video and Read the full story here.

Global Warming Overreach

The Wall Street Journal - Editorial - April 24, 2009

Congressman Henry Waxman played to the crowds this week with high-profile hearings designed to boost his climate legislation. To listen to the Energy and Commerce committee chair, a House global warming bill is all but in the recyclable bag.

Congressman Henry Waxman played to the crowds this week with high-profile hearings designed to boost his climate legislation. To listen to the Energy and Commerce committee chair, a House global warming bill is all but in the recyclable bag.

To listen to Congressman Jim Matheson is something else. During opening statements, the Utah Democrat detailed 14 big problems he had with the bill, and told me later that if he hadn't been limited to five minutes, "I might have had more." Mr. Matheson is one of about 10 moderate committee Democrats who are less than thrilled with the Waxman climate extravaganza, and who may yet stymie one of Barack Obama's signature issues. If so, the president can thank Democratic liberals, who are engaging in one of their first big cases of overreach.

WILLIAMSON — Urging West Virginians to unite in an effort to halt the cancer eating at its coal industry, Sen. H. Truman Chafin, D- Mingo, is pushing for a public voice in the nation’s capital.


“Now is the time for our people to unite and contact our congressional delegation in Washington for support of West Virginia’s most vital industry,” Chafin said, advancing his 13-point argument regarding the coal crisis threatening the state’s livelihood.

COWEN --  International Coal Group Eastern joined the Department of Environmental Protection and several other organizations on Thursday to give back to the Earth.

They invited some Webster County students to their Birch River Mining site to learn more about Arbor Day 2009.

Consulting Biologist Ben Faulkner waded into the Birch River with a net to make a point that the river is clean and the bugs living in it are healthy.

The 2009 Spring Meeting of the WV Coal Association, the WV Coal Mining Institute and the Central Appalachian Section of SME is set for May 7-9 at Stonewall Jackson Resort in Roanoke, WV. The WVCA Executive Committee will meet at 3 p.m. and the Board of Directors will be meeting at 4 p.m. (location of meetings will be sent later).  The annual Coal Hall of Fame induction will also be held on Friday evening.
           
Pre-registration is requested by contacting Royce Watts or Nancy Ireland at the WV Coal Mining Institute at WVU – 304/293-5708 (Royce Ext. 2102 and Nancy Ext. 2100)

The 2009 Friends of Coal Auto Fair is set for July 17-19 at the YMCA Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex in Beckley and the YMCA is looking for sponsors.  Letters to previous sponsors have been sent and we hope that you will respond favorably.

PITTSBURGH (April 9, 2009) – CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE:CNX) is partnering with the Mountaineer Food Bank to raise much needed food and money.
 
On Sunday, April 19, 2009, CONSOL Energy will be bringing an Aim Autosports Prototype Daytona Race Car to Morgantown, W. Va. as part of a statewide effort to fill the food bank’s pantries. Donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart at University Towne Centre in Morgantown. 
 

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