GE is pursuing acquisitions of two underground mining equipment manufacturers in support of the global expansion of its mining business.  GE has signed a binding Letter of Intent to acquire Fairchild International, an independently owned and operated underground mining equipment manufactuer located in Glen Lyn, Virginia and the first associate member of WVCA. The new company will be known as GE/Fairchild.  GE has also entered into an agreement to acquire 100 percent of Australia-based Industrea Limited, a provider of safety and productivity-enhancing mining equipment and services.

WVCA Senior Vice President Chris Hamilton and county school and elected officials toured Southern West Virginia Community College’s simulated mine facility on Wednesday with Chris and the First Lady of West Virginia, Joann Tomblin addressing the graduating class. 

Chris also addressed the assembly of Tolsia High School’s graduating class which included 33 students who successfully completed the apprentice mining program as part of their high school studies.  This was the first high school apprentice mining program graduating class in West Virginia. 

The 60-day comment period ends June 12 on the EPA’s proposed GHG New Source Performance Standards Rule. The EPA published its proposed rule in the Federal Register, setting New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gases.

The public can view comment submissions at regulations.gov under the docket ID no. EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0660.

Continuing its War on Coal and showing its complete disregard for our hard working miners and managers, the EPA announced it will appeal a March ruling issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that overturned the EPA’s decision to void (veto) Arch Coal’s existing Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for Mingo-Logan Coal Co.’s Spruce Mine No. 1 in Logan County. EPA’s retroactive veto of this permit, which was originally issued in 2007 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was challenged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by the company. In her very strongly worded decision, District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that EPA had overstepped its authority and she described EPA's defense of its veto as “magical thinking” and the agency's interpretation of its authority under the Clean Water Act as being “illogical and impractical.”  We’ll keep you posted.

MARTINS FERRY, Ohio - While the crowd of nearly 450 people turned out in support of Vice President Biden, close to 200 protesters showed up in full force, as well.

They were dressed in coal miner's hats, jail uniforms and t-shirts, holding signs and chanting.

Protesters filled the street less than a block from where Vice President Biden gave his speech Thursday in Martins Ferry. Many are upset with the current administration's policy on coal.