On Friday, February 29, 2008, the Mine Safety and Health Administration published in the Federal Register, as a separate Part IV, revisions to its existing health standards for asbestos exposure at metal and nonmetal mines, surface coal mines, and surface areas of underground coal mines. This final rule reduces the permissible exposure limits for airborne asbestos fibers.
http://www.msha.gov/REGS/FEDREG/FINAL/2008finl/E8-3828.pdf
Author Homer Hickam says he's impressed with the advancements in safety
in coal mines. Hickam, the son of a coal miner, toured Consol's
Robinson Run mine near Mannington on Thursday. The former NASA engineer
says the computerization and sensors now used in mines are more
sophisticated than some NASA technology. Hickam is back in his native
West Virginia this week promoting his new novel "Red Helmet.'' The love
story is set in the Mountain State's coal country. Hickam was scheduled
to sign copies of the book Friday and Saturday in Beckley, Bluefield,
Charleston and Huntington.
Hickam's best known book, "Rocket Boys,'' is about growing up in a
McDowell County mining town and building rockets with his friends. The
book was adapted into the 1999 movie "October Sky.''
Mountaintop mining. An emotional issue, to be sure. Rhetoric flies from all sides. It’s hard to know what to believe.
One thing is clear to me: It’s not as black and white as either side would have you believe.
Last fall, I was given the opportunity to take a flyover of a number of
mountaintop removal sites in Boone, Logan and Mingo counties, among
them the largest such mines in the state.
Two newly promulgated mine safety rules from the Board of Coal Mine Health & Safety were filed this week with the Secretary of State’s Office and will take effect on April 1, 2008. The rules address the capacity of mantrips or personnel carriers in underground mines and additional inspections of underground areas immediately following welding and cutting activities. (Series 36-18-6; and 36-14-5 respectively) The new mantrip requirements will not become operative until January 1, 2009.
The third set of rules promulgated by the Board addressing utility companies and gas operators to notify mine operators before proceeding on bonded mine property and to properly mark all energized gas lines have not been filed.
A very special THANKS goes to Karen (Accurate Surveying) & Tim (Nelson Brothers) Zeli who were gracious enough to present trophies to the winners of the WVSSAC Swimming events in Morgantown last weekend. The organizing group of the WVSSAC were very complimentary of the Zelis and their work with the youth of West Virginia.
The WVSSAC Wrestling Matches are being held in Huntington, beginning yesterday at the Big Sandy Arena and Mary & Chris Supcoe (Crown Hill Equipment) will be handling the trophy presentations on Saturday evening. Again, a big THANK YOU to the Supcoes. These trophies are sponsored by the Friends of Coal and we thank each of the members who have dedicated their time and effort to assisting with presentations.
The 29thth Annual WV Construction and Design Exposition (EXPO) will be held March 19-20, 2008 at the Charleston Civic Center. It will feature over 300 exhibitors with 500 indoor and outdoor exhibits and 53 seminars for the Construction, Engineering, Architectural, Industrial and Public Works industries. Exhibit hall hours, March 19, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., March 20, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information visit www.wvexpo.com or call 304-342-3976. Admission to the show and nearly all seminars is free. Individuals registering on-line have the option of printing their own tag, thus avoiding delays at the show.
EXPO is sponsored by the Contactors Association of WV; WV Society of Professional Engineers; AIA-WV and the WV Utility Contractors Association, with the support of 18 cosponsoring trade organizations and professional societies. Over 6000 individuals from 28 states attended the 2007 show. The WV Coal Association is a co-sponsor of the event.
February 12, 2008
by Chana Joffe-Walt
After years of economic troubles that saw few people going into mining engineering, the field is experiencing a renaissance on some campuses. Scholarships and good jobs are attracting growing numbers of recruits.
Listen to the NPR story here.
Ohio Valley residents can breathe easier, according to American
Electric Power’s Wayne Irons, since emissions controls were installed
at the company’s Mitchell Power Plant a year ago.
The Mitchell plant installed its first sulfur dioxide-catching scrubber
about one year ago and added a second last April, plant manager Irons
said. And he is pleased with their performance.
“We are making better than designed capture,” he said. “We are at about 98 percent capture of SO2.”
On Wednesday the Senate Natural Resources Committee amended SB 456, the
Antidegradation Implementation Rule, to reduce the presumptive list
from 309 streams to 108. The amended list was extracted from the
original 156 streams proposed by the WVDEP last year and consists of
the 38 streams that were never objected to and 70 streams that are
solely on public lands. The bill is on second reference in the Senate
Judiciary Committee.
