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January 16, 2014

The State Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety agreed to propose for public comment an Administrative Rule requiring proximity detectors on place-change continuous mining machines along with a number of additional safety standards for underground section haulage equipment and equipment operators.

Before adoption of the proposed rule, a number of changes were made which are highlighted in the below summation.

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January 16, 2014

To register for the WV Coal Mining Symposium please go to: http://www.wvcoal.com/2014-symposium-registration.html to make your reservations for the Symposium and pay by credit card, if you so desire, or I will invoice your company.  If you have more than one attending and would like to submit one registration form, please indicate how many will attend each event and then list the names in the comment section.  Don’t need to know who will be attending what function, just a number, then the name so nametags will be available upon your arrival.  If you have any questions or concerns, please give me a call or e-mail.  (304) 342-4153 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  The agenda, as it is updated and stands now, is at this site as well.

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January 16, 2014

The first Coal Caucus meeting of the House of Delegates will be held on Monday, January 20^th, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in Room 252 on the House of Delegates side of the Capitol Building.  Last week’s meeting had to be cancelled because of the chemical spill and water problems in Charleston.  Following the Coal Caucus the WVCA Government Affairs Committee will hold a meeting in the same location.

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January 09, 2014

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014 

OPERATION, REGULATORY & TECHNICAL Session 

Wednesday	January 29, 2014
7:30 a.m.	Registration
8:30 a.m.	Welcome/Introductions
8:45 a.m.	State of Mine Safety Kevin Stricklin, MSHA Administrator Bob Cornett, MSHA District 3 Robert Amenola, MSHA District 4 Tim Watkins, MSHA District 12
10:000 a.m.	BREAK Sponsored by Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC and Potesta & Associates, Inc.
10:15 a.m.	"Patterns of Violations" - A West Virginia Case Study Mike Cimeno, Jackson Kelly Jason Nutzman, Dinsmore & Shohl
10:45 a.m.	OSM Oversite Issues Kip Power, Dinsmore & Shohl
11:15 a.m.	WV & The Endangered Species Act Aaaron Hieshman, Jackson Kelly
11:40 a.m.	Mine Law Update Dave Hardy, Hardy Pence, PLLC
12 noon	Lunch Sponsored by Jackson Kelly
1:30 p.m.	Respirable Coal Dust Pat Brady, Murray Energy Mark Watson, Alliance Coal
2:00 p.m.	Proximity Detection Technology Jim Dean, WVU Mining Extension Joel Watts, Board of Coal Mine Health & Safety
2:30 p.m.	EPA's Water Quality Standards Clarification Rule Mike Castle, Strategic Solutions
3:00 p.m.	Selenium Implementation Plan Ben Lowman & Kevin Segal, WV DEP
3:30 p.m.	Selenium Treatment Technology Al Meek & Ron Mullennex, Cardno MM&A
4:00 p.m.	Corps of Engineer's Regulatory Report Ginger Mullins, Corps of Engineers
4:30 p.m.	Aluminum Passive Treatment Dr. Paul Ziemkiewicz, WV Water Research Institute
5:00 p.m.	Associate Members Welcoming Reception
Thursday	January 30, 2014
7 a.m.	Registration
7:30 a.m.	Breakfast Sponsored by Walker Machinery and Dinsmore & Shohl
8:30 a.m.	Welcome & Introductions Jim Laurita, WVCA Chairman
8:45 a.m.	"Coal is the Cornerstone of Our Energy Future" Robert Murray, Murray Energy
9:15 a.m.	"Coal Exports" Ernie Thrasher, X-Coal
9:45 a.m.	State of the State - West Virginia First Governor Earl Ray Tomblin
10:15 a.m.	Break Sponsored by Wells Fargo
10:45 a.m.	Panel of Climate Issues Jeff Herholdt, WV Depatrment of Energy Paul Bailey, ACCCE John Benedict, WV Air Quality, DEP
12 noon	Mountaineer Guardian Luncheon Sponsored by Bowles Rice and BrickStreet Insurance Awards Presentation: Eugene White, Director WV Office of Miners' Health, Safety & Training
2:00 p.m.	MSHA 2014 Joe Main, Asst. Secretary, MSHA, US DOL
2:30 p.m.	Alpha Training Academy
3:00 p.m.	Deliberate Intent Rhonda Harvey, Bowles Rice
3:30 p.m.	Legislative Panel Discussion Pro-Coal Legislators
5:00 p.m.	Legislative Reception
Friday	January 31, 2014
7 a.m.	Registration
7:30 a.m.	Breakfast Sponsored by Steptoe & Johnson
8:30 a.m.	Welcome/Introductions
8:45 a.m.	Fighting Federal Overreach Patrick Morrissey, West Virginia Attorney General
9:15 a.m.	The 115th Congress: Looking Ahead
10:30 a.m.	Break Sponsored by Preservati Law PLLC
10:45 a.m.	Environmental Litigation Update Bob McLusky, Jackson Kelly
11:15 a.m.	OSM Update Tom Shope or Roger Calhoun, OSM
11:45 a.m.	WV's Mining & Reclamation Program Harold Ward, WV DEP
12 noon	Reclamation Awards Luncheon Awards Presentation by Randy Huffman, Cabinet Secretary, WV DEP
1:30 p.m.	Adjournment

 

The 41^st Annual Coal Mining Symposium is set for January 29 – 31^st, 2014 at the Charleston Civic Center.  The general registration is available on-line at http://www.wvcoal.com/2014-symposium-registration.html

A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn Express (directly across from the Civic Center) at a rate of $99.00 per night.  To reserve your room please call the Holiday Inn Express directly at 304.345.0600 and let them know you want to be in the block of WVCA rooms.

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January 09, 2014

On Wednesday, 1/8/14, EPA re-proposed its New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for regulating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new “fossil fuel-fired” power plants using Clean Air Act (CAA) § 111(b). 79 Fed. Reg.1430. The notice provides for a 60-day public comment period closing on March 10, 2014. EPA also announced that it will hold a public hearing on Jan. 28, 2014 in Washington, D.C., and separately noticed the rescission of its prior proposal of April 12, 2012 in its entirety. According to sources, it appears that EPA made few substantive changes from the original pre-proposed version released on Sept. 20, 2013.  We encourage all members and others to comment about the ridiculous nature of these rules and the impossible standards they set forth.  Contact the Association for additional information regarding specific comments to these re-proposed rules.