The Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee http://naturalresources.house.gov/of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Natural Resources Committee will convene a hearing on the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s revocation of the Clean Water Act Section 404 permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Mingo-Logan Coal Co. for the Spruce No.1 Mine in Logan County, WV.  Titled  “The Obama Administration’s Actions against the Spruce Coal Mine: Canceled Permits, Lawsuits and Lost Jobs.” Government witnesses invited to testify include:

1. Lieutenant General Thomas P. Bostick, Commanding General and Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
2. Ms. Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
3. The Honorable Joseph Pizarchik, Director, office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

A final witness list comprised of state, industry, and community representatives will be made available once it is confirmed.

CEDAR (coal education development and Resources) of Southern West Virginia, has just completed their eleventh year.  Over that period, CEDAR has provided 457 teachers with approximately $116,385 in grant money to utilize in their classroom teaching about the many benefits coal has to offer.  12,372 students have been involved in these coal study units in Mingo, Logan, Boone, McDowell and Wyoming counties.

During the week of April 30 – May 4, approximately 800 visitors toured the projects (241) at the Harless Community Center in Gilbert.  To date, CEDAR and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College have awarded $70,000 in scholarship monies to students from the participating counties.

The Friends of Coal Ladies Auxiliary has a new web site and are asking everyone to visit the new web site www.friendsofcoalladies.com as many times as you can.  For each time you visit, the web site moves up so when you type “coal” into your search engine the web site will be one of the top listed in your search.   The site also hosts a full store for purchase of FOC items and wearing apparel.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR KENTUCKY COAL

Save the Dates:  June 5 in Frankfort and June 7 in Pikeville

Background:

At the request of the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, the United States EPA will conduct hearings in Frankfort on June 5 and in Pikeville on June 7, regarding EPA’s specific objections to 36 individual KPDES permits that would authorize discharges from new or expanded surface coal mining activities in eastern Kentucky.

The EPA objections have prevented the issuance of all individual Clean Water Act (CWA) permits for new or expanded surface coal mining activities in eastern Kentucky for more than two years. The economic effect of the EPA’s objections has been significant in that the 19 most recent objections alone are estimated to have cost Kentucky some 3,800 coal-related jobs and more than $123 million in lost coal severance taxes.

By JOSELYN KING - Political Writer , The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register

WHEELING - Local politicians and coal industry leaders think much of the country is in the dark about how important coal is to energy production, and some suggest electric companies power down for a day to make the point.

Federal and state representatives were among those speaking at the West Virginia Coal Forum on Wednesday at Oglebay Park’s Wilson Lodge. Those present discussed new regulations on coal-fired electric plants being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and why leaders must work to “Stop the EPA’s War on Coal.”