Last Saturday more than 2,000 supporters of the coal industry from West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky gathered for an enthusiastic rally at the Fairgrounds in Abingdon, Virginia.  Two bus-loads of officials and supporters from Logan and southern West Virginia participated in the event.

(article from) ABINGDON, Va. – There is a war on coal.

That’s the message officials from four states, includingKentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, told those in attendance at Saturday’s “Rally for Appalachian Coal” in Abington,Va.

“This is a war against our jobs, our families, our communities and our way of life in the coalfield region ofAppalachia,” said West Virginia Senator Art Kirkendoll (D-Logan). “The United States Department of Environmental Protection has declared war and we must stand up and send a message that we will not let them take our jobs, harm our families and communities and try to destroy our way of life.”

Senator Inhofe’s Congressional Review Act (CRA) is expected to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote on Tuesday of next week, June 12^th.  It will nullify EPA’s utility MACT rule that has been debilitating to coal and utility industries.  This CRA is in the form of Senate Joint Resolution 37 and will need a simple majority of 51 votes for approval.  We need to do everything possible to convince Senators Rockefeller and Manchin to support this resolution.  Anyone who has not sent a message to our Senators is asked to go to our webpage, www.wvcoal.com, and send a message (per instructions below)  by Monday.  We need to get as many messages of support as possible to the Senators.  Thanks.

We need your HELP! IMMEDIATELY! 

Effective June 7, 2012 (today) anyone renewing a vehicle with a B plate reflecting a weight of 10,000 pounds or less is eligible to replace the B with a class A plate.  Which means the 10,000 pound or less trucks can now have a Friends Of Coal license plate.  Please be cautious in replacing a B to an A plate as it must cover both the vehicle and any additional weight that you might haul or on a trailer you might be pulling.

The original FOC license plate application will be used in ordering and still must go through the WV Coal Foundation.  If you have any questions please let us know.

The comprehensive mine safety bill (HB 4531) passed earlier this year by the Legislature officially took effect this week on June 4^th.  HB 4531 establishes a myriad of new mine safety and training requirements including mandatory drug testing which will be implemented by subsequent rule by December 31^st of this year.

An “Enrolled” copy of HB 4531 as passed by the West Virginia Legislature and signed into statutory law by Governor Tomblin is available at the Association Office.