Forty-two West Virginia mining operations were recognized by the industry for their safety efforts in 2013 at Thursday’s Mountaineer Guardian Awards luncheon, with Phoenix Coal-Mac’s Holden 22 Surface Mine in Logan County taking the Bart B. Lay Milestones in Safety Award and Rockspring Development’s Camp Creek No. 1 in Wayne County and Mingo-Logan’s Mountaineer II mine in Logan County sharing the Eustace E. Frederick Milestones in Safety Award.
And Arch Coal, Inc. and its Leer Mining Complex in Taylor County claimed the state’s top award for environmental stewardship –The Greenlands Award – during the Environmental Awards luncheon held Friday. Apogee Coal Co., LLC’s North Rum Surface Mine in Logan County took home the National Wild Turkey Federation Award for its work in restoring former surface mine land for wildlife habitat. Hobet Mining, LLC’s Big Horse Creek Surface Mine in Boone and Wyoming counties was awarded the Ducks Unlimited Award for reclamation.
“These winners demonstrate the importance our industry places on being environmentally responsible,” Raney said. “We always say coal miners are the real environmentalists. When you look at the work that is actually done there is no doubt about the accuracy of that statement.”
For a complete listing of all winners along with photos of the awards banquets, see our website at www.wvcoal.com.