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Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar issued an order on Monday (11/28) postponing the proposed consolidation of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In October, Secretary Salazar announced plans to merge OSM, which regulates coal mining and reclamation, with BLM, which oversees federal lands and energy leases, effective as of December 1 of this year, in order to improve efficiency and reduce agency resource needs. The new order gives the US Department of the Interior (DOI) officials until February 15, 2012, to meet with stakeholders and provide a written report concerning the potential effects of the merger on those impacted by coal mining, including industry, tribes, state regulators and local communities. Monday’s order also states a new effective date for the merger will be set following the issuance of the February report.
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Earlier this month, Board of Directors’ member, Jim Bunn II, was named a Young Gun by the West Virginia Executive Magazine. Jim was one of only ten who were named from more than 250 nominees for the Class of 2011. Nominees must be 43 or younger, live and work in West Virginia, have held the same position for two years and be active in their community. Jim and the others, along with their families were recognized at a November ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion. The article describing Jim’s award is available at the following link, www.wvexecutive.com.
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The Association completed its third of three Regional Membership Meetings on Wednesday evening in Beckley. The first meeting had been held in Morgantown with the second one in Charleston on Tuesday. Each of the sessions were well attended with a great deal of discussion and exchange on the variety of issues confronting our industry today. While health & safety and environmental regulations, policies and statistics were covered, a good bit of time in each meeting was taken with discussions surrounding the manpower challenges facing the industry as well as the Legislative issues expected in the 2012 Regular Session. We appreciate everyone who participated by keeping the meetings lively and pertinent.
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Rep. David B. McKinley, R-W.Va., became the first-ever freshman member of Congress to be named a recipient of the Annual Achievement Award by the prestigious Washington Coal Club (WCC) on Wednesday.
McKinley was honored due to his strong advocacy for the continued use of coal alongside House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., according to a news release from McKinley's office. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Dr. Janos Beer of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Staff
Charleston Civic Center
Since 1988, Craig Calhoun has attended annual West Virginia University basketball games at the Charleston Civic Center.
Calhoun, a season ticket holder, was again at the Civic Center Tuesday night when WVU faced Morehead State.
It was the first game on the new floor at the Civic Center sponsored by the Friends of Coal.
Calhoun says the floor, which features three silhouettes of West Virginia coal miners, is a good representation of the state.
"It will give a lot of recognition to the state," Calhoun said. "I like the paint job. I like the floor."
Calhoun's friend and fellow season ticket holder Alan Petty had one word to describe the floor: "Awesome."
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