by The Associated Press 
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Shareholders overwhelmingly approved coal producer Alpha Natural Resources' $7.1 billion takeover of struggling rival Massey Energy Co. on Wednesday, the companies said.
Alpha immediately began absorbing Massey, replacing the company's sign on its West Virginia headquarters and filing at least 18 documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission cancelling Massey shares after the deal closed.

"Our goal is to run the combined company in the same manner that we've operated Alpha," Chief Executive Kevin Crutchfield told The Associated Press. "We'll see improved safety performance, improved levels of environmental stewardship."

By Carra Higgins - Staff Writer , The Inter-Mountain

Facility would create approximately 250 jobs

A new Metinvest mining operation planned for the Ellamore area of Randolph County received the Randolph County Development Authority's stamp of approval Wednesday.

RCDA board members learned that the Roaring Creek deep-mining facility will create approximately 250 direct jobs, which will have average wages of $18 to $30 an hour. For each of the 250 people employed at the mine, approximately five other jobs will be created.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continues to make rulings and pass regulations that will stifle the mining industry and ultimately have adverse impacts on not only the coal mining region, but indeed the entire country.

Henry Payne/ The Michigan View.com

Despite voter rejection of Democrats' radical cap and trade legislation at the polls last November, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hungrily eyeing the U.S. coal industry with backdoor carbon regulation. 

And Michigan is first on the menu. 

Wolverine Power, which serves northern Michigan, wants to build a new coal-fired power plant to satisfy Michigan's future energy needs with more efficient technology. But in addition to running the usual gauntlet of federal regulations, Wolverine faces a formidable new hurdle: It must now satisfy carbon dioxide regulations stealthily drafted at the beginning of this year. 

"We are venturing into uncharted territory," says Wolverine Director of Community and Government Affairs Ken Bradstreet of the vague rule with no precedent for how to meet it. 

On May 27 (today), MSHA will publish a notice in the Federal Register extending the comment period on the proposed rule addressing Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Coal Mine Dust, Including Continuous Personal Dust Monitors.  The comment period will be extended from May 31, 2011 until June 20, 2011.  the notice was available for viewing on May 25 at the Office of the Federal Register, Public Inspection Desk:  http://www.federalregister.gov/inspection.aspx