News Release Courtesy of the MTM Coaltion

CHARLESTON – Thursday’s announcement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of its decision to suspend the use of Nationwide Permit 21 (NWP 21) in the Appalachian region of six states is discriminatory and threatens the economy of the region. In a June 17 announcement, the Corps said they will immediately suspend the issuance of mining permits under the NWP 21 standards for the mining industry in West Virginia as well as Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.

The Corps said in a release that the suspension “will remain in effect until the Corps takes further action on NWP 21 or until the program expires on March 18, 2012.”

Stephen G. Young, long-time vice president of government affairs at Consol Energy, died Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

Young was a native of Buckhannon and earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University in 1958 and a law degree from West Virginia University in 1964. He also served for three years in the U.S. Navy.           

In 1974, Young joined Consolidation Coal Co., a Consol Energy subsidiary, as director of state government relations after serving for six years as president of the West Virginia Coal Association.

Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said, "Steve was one of the most exquisite minds in the industry over the years. He was a mentor of mine. He clearly was a shining light in terms of public policy and how to deal with Congress and the Legislature. I learned so much from him.

"He was a great American, a patriot, a Navy SEAL. He was devoted to the industry and the people who work in it and wanted to see it progress, particularly the industry in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia, where Consol had such a presence.

"He's one of those persons whose credibility and integrity was always unquestioned," Raney said. "He was a dear friend."

The West Virginia Coal Association and the Friends of Coal were asked to deliver the lunch address at the annual Coal Miner's Celebration Thursday at the Resort at Glade Springs in Raleigh County.

WVCA President Bill Raney told the crowd, estimated at about 200, that coal remains a vital part of the nation’s energy mix and will continue to be into to the foreseeable future “if the Obama Administration ever gets straightened out.”

Raney talked about the EPA’s apparent war on Appalachian coal and that Congress and the Administration must be made to realize the importance it has on the economy of the state, region and nation.
Gov. Joe Manchin was also on hand for the celebration and he pointed out that the Obama Administration was wrong to discriminate against eastern coal states.

"Coal mining is a good job and what you haven't accounted for is the patriotic sense of duty that our miners have. Not only do they provide a good living, they provide a way of life for this country and there is pride in that," says Governor Joe Manchin, during his speech at the celebration.

The crowd also had the opportunity to see and hear about some of the latest equipment and technologies available for the industry.

The Friends of Coal staffed booths at the Hatfield-McCoy Festival in Williamson Saturday, June 12 and also attended the Freedom Festival Picnic at Chief Logan State Park, sponsored by the West Virginia Coalfields Tea Party on the same day.  Both events were plagued by rain, but turnout was excellent nonetheless. The Friends of Coal joined the Citizens for Coal at both events.          

The Friends of Coal and Citizens for Coal also joined together to staff a booth at the Boone County Coal Festival this week.  Outreach at the Coal Festival included getting Friends of Coal signage posted in businesses throughout the town and providing yard signs, stickers and license plates to the folks who attended the event.  

WVCA President Bill Raney spoke to the Wells Fargo Federal Black Lung Seminar in Charleston on June 15 and several Association members met with First Congressional District candidates, Mike Oliverio and David McKinley in Morgantown on June 16.            

In addition, representatives of the Association met with Gov. Manchin this week regarding the Obama Administration’s continuing assault on eastern and Appalachian coal states.

The Association’s Safety Committee will be traveling to Washington, DC June 29, for a meeting with our Congressional delegation and committees of both the House and Senate.  The focus is on developing federal mine safety legislation following the Upper Big Branch accident.