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On November 23 the Inspector General of the federal Environmental Protection Agency released a report stating that EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers take longer than their statutory goals state to issue coal mining permits inAppalachia.
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ranking member Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) requested the report in October 2010. Inhofe asked the IG to look at the status of 237 mining permit applications and the time it took to review each, the reasons for the length of review and the number of permits that fell under EPA’s “enhanced review” and “conductivity” procedures. Army Corps regulations say permits should be completed in 60 to 90 days, but the Corps has an internal goal of 120 days for processing permits, the IG found.
The report reviewed 185 projects over the last year, for which the Corps issued 30 percent of the permits. Of the 56 permits issued, 23 were finished within the 120-day goal. Out of 66 pending applications, 41 have been in process for more than a year. Of the total projects, 75 exceeded two years, though that includes withdrawn permit applications.
The inspector general's office found several reasons for permit review delays, including the complexity of issues and new scientific evidence about the environmental impacts of coal mining. The report also found "involvement by EPA headquarters" to be a reason for permit review lengths.
For a copy of the report contact
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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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A new batch of emails purportedly stolen from the servers at the University of East Anglia were posted online Tuesday, echoing the 2009 data breach dubbed "Climategate" that turned the world's attention to the internal debates among scientists hoping to determine whether man's actions are warming the planet.
Excerpts from the emails posted on climate skeptic websites are certainly eye-opening:
<1939> Thorne/MetO: Observations do not show rising temperatures throughout the tropical troposphere unless you accept one single study and approach and discount a wealth of others. This is just downright dangerous. We need to communicate the uncertainty and be honest.
<3066> Thorne: I also think the science is being manipulated to put a political spin on it, which for all our sakes might not be too clever in the long run.
<4755> Overpeck: The trick may be to decide on the main message and use that to guid[e] what’s included and what is left out.
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Resources Boom Fuels Demand for Underground Labor, Spurs Skyrocketing Pay; a $1,200 Chihuahua
MANDURAH, Australia—One of the fastest-growing costs in the global mining industry are workers like James Dinnison: the 25-year-old high-school dropout from Western Australia makes $200,000 a year running drills in underground mines to extract gold and other minerals.
The heavily tattooed Mr. Dinnison, who started in the mines seven years ago earning $100,000, owns a sky-blue 2009 Chevy Ute, which cost $55,000 before a $16,000 engine enhancement, and a $44,000 custom motorcycle. The price tag on his chihuahua, Dexter, which yaps at his feet: $1,200.
James Dinnison, a 25-year-old high school dropout from Western Australia, makes $200,000 a year running drills in underground mines to extract gold and other minerals. Why is he paid so much? John Miller explains on Lunch Break.
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The Pocahontas Coal Association will hold its next regular meeting on Tuesday, November 29th, at 6 p.m. at the Princeton Elks Club. As is tradition during the Fall Meeting, the PCA and the Bluefield Daily Telegraph will be presenting the Boys High School Football Player of the Week awards, as well as the Player of the Year award.
For further information contact Jason Fannin at 276.623.2914 or 276.698.5317.
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