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It was reported on Wednesday that Richard Stickler had departed his post as Administrator of the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) on Friday (1/16).  Stickler, a  West Virginia native, was appointed in October 2006.  A spokeswoman announced that longtime MSHA official Michael Davis would run the agency until a successor is named.

The Association and the industry were well represented at Governor Joe Manchin’s second inauguration this past weekend and Monday.  The Sunday evening black tie Sponsors’ Gala was attended by a broad array of Association members, many who braved long trips in adverse weather to attend.  The Governor was officially sworn in on Monday (1/19) afternoon on the steps of the State Capitol with the Inaugural Ball being held on Monday evening.  As is usually the case, the industry and the Association can be extremely proud of the overwhelming representation from General as well as Associate members.
 
Governor Manchin spoke positively and aggressively about the importance of coal in his less than fifteen minute Inaugural speech on Monday.  He pointed to the availability, reliability and strong heritage of  West Virginia coal always rising to meet the ever-demanding needs of the country and the State.  He indicated that today was no different than it was during the Industrial Revolution and the World Wars and we must all work together to directly address the misinformation and controversies surrounding coal today.  Here are some relevant excerpts from the speech:
 

The second edition of “The Coal Seam,” the West Virginia Coal Association’s monthly television show, will begin airing on the Library Commission television network Monday at 11 a.m.  The guest this month is Mark Muchow, of the West Virginia Division of Revenue. Muchow joined anchor  Chris Hamilton to discuss the coal industry’s contributions to the state budget and how the industry has helped shield the state from the economic problems faced by most other states today.
 
The show will re-air at 5 p.m. and again at 11 p.m. (Monday) on affiliated channels and public access channels across the state. Both the current show and the January show are also available as streaming video online at the West Virginia Coal Association website www.wvcoal.com.
 

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) imported coal was picking up as the statistics shows a 3.4% increase as compared to November a year ago.  The year-to-date, through November, continues to show a decline when compared to the same period last year (-7.5%), but this is the first month in a while that has reflected an increase for a month in ‘08.  Exports continue to show an increase for the 2008 year in both November and year-to-date through November with met coal gaining 17% for the month of November and more than 36% year-to-date through November.  Steam coal exports were up 21% when comparing the monthly figures and had gained more than 46% when comparing ’08 to ’07.  The year-to-date production totals for  West Virginia through the week of 1/17 show a 4% decrease when compared to the same period last year.  The 52-week totals through the same period are still positive by 3.7%.

We were reminded last week that all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies this week and you may start receiving sales calls and you may or could be charged for them.  To prevent this, you can call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.  It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. After a couple of prompts relating to choice of language you will be asked to enter the cell number you are calling from, including the area code.  You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.  It blocks your number for five (5) years.

Environmental radicals have launched a new campaign against use of coal - any use of it - to meet the nation's energy requirements.

It is ironic that the campaign is being mounted via television. Without electricity from coal-fired power plants, about half of the people in America would not be able to watch an advertisement produced as part of the campaign.

Clean-coal technology is the environmentalists' target. Their television spot takes a sarcastic view. It features an announcer who says: "Clean coal. Heard a lot about it, so let's take a tour of this state-of-the-art clean coal facility." He then ushers viewers into an empty lot. The message, according to the announcer, is that "there's no such thing as clean coal."

Radicals in charge of the campaign don't want the United States to use more coal. They don't like nuclear energy, either. They prefer "green" technologies such as wind and solar power.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia miners who believe environmentalists are giving the industry a bum rap are planning a campaign to emphasize the importance of coal to the nation's economy and security.

Citizens for Coal is the brainchild of Roger Horton, a truck driver at St. Louis-based Patriot Coal Corp.'s Guyan mine, a Logan County mountaintop removal site that's been targeted by environmentalists. Horton envisions Citizens for Coal as a way for miners to educate lawmakers and the public about the industry and counter criticism from environmentalists.

That criticism focuses on mountaintop removal mining, a visibly destructive practice that blasts apart ridgetops to expose multiple seams of coal. Mountaintop mines in Appalachiaemploy an estimated 14,000 people and produce approximately 14 percent of the nation's power-producing coal.

KFOR TV News ( Oklahoma ) - January 13, 2009

Coal is likely to be a big winner in the new Obama administration.

Over the next two years or so, look for Congress to provide several billion dollars for investments in research and development to commercialize processes that transform coal into motor fuels for autos, trucks and jets.

Tribune-Democrat - Guest Editorial - January 13, 2009

Coal plays a vital role in our energy economy today, and will continue to be important for decades. 

America’s mines produce about a billion tons every year. That’s equivalent to a block a half-mile on a side and a half-mile high.

Ninety percent is used for electricity generation. The coke industry and export sales account for most of the remainder. 

The 36th Annual WV Mining Symposium Registration forms were e-mailed to everyone receiving Coal Bits this week.  A separate e-mail requesting advertising for program, exhibit space and sponsorship of the Welcoming Reception (added this year) was sent at the same time.  Please share the registration form with others in your company who might be interested but did not receive.  You do not have to be a member of the Association to attend, however, you do need to be a member to exhibit or advertise.  If you have any questions or need additional information please contact Sandi at 304/342-4153 or e-mail:  sdavison@wvcoal.com
 

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The Friends of Coal website (friendsofcoal.org) had nearly 1,400 visits last month from across the United States and 26 different countries or territories, including Norway, Germany, India, Australia, Sweden, Canada, Britain and Ireland.  More than 83% were new visits.  During November and December, the Association’s website (wvcoal.com) had more than 3,500 visits from across the United States and Alaska as well as 54 other countries or territories.  More than 75% were new visits.   

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Responding to MSHA’s request for comments on their draft Program Policy Letter on mine communications and tracking requirements, WVCA has urged MSHA to accept the state’s plan that is currently nearing full implementation.

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On Christmas Eve the federal Office of Surface Mining (OSM) published its approval of two long-pending revisions to West Virginia’s surface mining regulatory program.  The changes concern WV’s rules governing cumulative hydrologic impact assessments and thresholds for determining when “material damage to the hydrologic balance” has occurred.  The approval of the revisions provides the WV Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) with a much better regulatory tool to determine when a mining related discharge/activity has caused “material damage to hydrologic balance” under provisions of the federal Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Act and the WV Surface Coal Mining & Reclamation Act.  The coal association supported the proposed revisions at the Legislature and in three separate federal public comment periods established by OSM.  OSM’s approval of the revisions is effective immediately.  The approved revisions delete the definition of “cumulative impact” and replace it with a new definition of “material damage”:  Material damage to the hydrologic balance outside the permit area means any long term or permanent change in the hydrologic balance caused by surface mining operation(s) which has a significant adverse impact on the capability of the affected water resource(s) to support existing conditions and uses. 
 
For more detail or a copy of the Federal Register Notice from OSM contact jbostic@wvcoal.com
 

Industry Representative Kent Hartsog (Patriot Coal) has forwarded the agenda for the January 15th meeting of the Workers’ Compensation Industrial Council.  The meeting will be held in the offices of the Insurance Commissioner at 1124 Smith Street in Charleston, beginning at 3:00 p.m.  Let us know and we will forward a copy of the agenda. 

The West Virginia Business & Industry Council (BIC) will hold regional legislative meetings throughout the State prior to the beginning of the Regular Session.  WV Coal members are encouraged to attend any of these meetings that will discuss important issues to business that are expected to be addressed during the 2009 Session.  The schedule for those meetings includes: 
 West Virginia Business & Industry Council
Regional Meetings Schedule
 
January 21, 2009 --- Wheeling LUNCH – Generations -  11:45 a.m.
January 21, 2009 --- Parkersburg DINNER -  Blennerhassett Hotel -  5:30 p.m.
January 22, 2009 --- Charleston LUNCH – Charleston Marriott    11:45 a.m.
January 26, 2009 --- Martinsburg DINNER – Holiday Inn (just off I-81)- 5:30 p.m.
January 27, 2009 --- Fairmont – LUNCH – Murial’s Restaurant-  11:45 a.m.
January 27, 2009 --- Elkins – DINNER – Elkins Motor Lodge-   5:30 p.m.
January 29, 2009 --- Ceredo  DINNER – Rocco’s   -  5:30 p.m.
February 3, 2009 --- Logan  DINNER -Earl Ray Tomblin Center, Chief Logan State Park
                                                   5:30 p.m.
February 4, 2009 --- Beckley – LUNCH – Mountaineer Conference Center 1 1:45 a.m.
Lunch cost for members: $25.00 per person.  Dinner cost for Members:  $50.00 per person.
Please call 343-5500 or mail reservations to 2506 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25311 , indicating which meeting  you and/or your members will attend.
 

BLUEFIELD — Despite the national and global economic forces that are having a huge impact on the nation, some coal industry experts who have followed coal’s fortunes through several boom and bust cycles, feel that well-managed coal companies will weather the economic storms on the near and long-term horizons.

“The challenges ahead are pretty vivid, and it will be difficult to sustain the level of 150 million tons of coal production next year, but it’s important that we focus our research on coal extraction as well as coal use in the near-term,” Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association said.