Latest News

FOC Auto Fair Set

The 2013 Friends of Coal Auto Fair is set for July 19-21st at the YMCA Paul Cline Memorial Sports Complex in Beckley, WV.  More than 50,000 people from all over the country are expected throughout the weekend to take in the car show, carnival rides, live music, special performance, surprise guests and festival food.  Sponsorship opportunities are available and more up-to-date information can be accessed by visiting: www.friendsofcoalautofair.com

Legislative Interim Meetings Set

The first Legislative Monthly Interim Meetings will be held in Charleston from May 20-22.  The following link will provide the schedule for this month’s meetings as well as the membership for the various Interim Committees.  Click here for the general schedule and committee makeup: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/committees/interims/intcomsched.cfm.

The June Interim Meetings will be held in Wheeling, the State’s first capitol, where West Virginia’s 150th Birthday will be commemorated.

Hillman Racing Picks up FOC and Association Logos

Hillman Racing and Eddie Asbury advanced the Association and the Friends of Coal logos on the #27 truck in Friday night's race in Charlotte.   A press release announcing the representation and a picture of the #27 truck is included below.  We appreciate Hillman and Eddie bringing national attention to the Association and the Friends of Coal as the race was broadcast on the Speed Channel Friday evening.

McCarthy Nomination Advances

The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) reported that the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted to send the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be EPA Administrator forward by a straight party line vote of 10 to 8.  During the committee’s meeting, Senator David Vitter, ranking Republican, said that Acting Administrator Robert Perciasepe had made some real progress toward satisfying the committee Republicans’ five requests for more transparency.  He added that if more progress were made, he would not try to block a vote on McCarthy’s confirmation by demanding a cloture vote, and that if EPA fully satisfied all five requests, he would vote for McCarthy.

Governor's Press Release

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today announced the appointment of Speaker Rick Thompson as Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Veterans Assistance. The appointment will be effective following the retirement of Secretary Keith Gwinn.

 

"I want to take this opportunity to thank Secretary Gwinn, our first Secretary of The Department of Veterans Assistance, for his service to our state and his enthusiastic commitment to our veterans," Gov. Tomblin said. "Secretary Gwinn accomplished much during his tenure, including his role in helping to secure the largest federal grant for a state veteran's cemetery. I'm truly grateful for his service."

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Speaker Thompson to Accept Cabinet Position

Governor Tomblin has appointed Speaker Rick Thompson as Secretary of Veterans Assistance, effective in mid-June.  The Governor's press release is included below.  As you would expect, the race to replace the Speaker started immediately!  Likely candidates include House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White (Mingo), Kanawha County Delegate Doug Skaff, House Judiciary Chairman Tim Miley, and House Majority Leader Brent Boggs (Braxton).  A Special Session for purposes of electing a new Speaker is expected to be called in mid to late June.

West Virginia Coal Association & Friends of Coal Partner with Hillman Racing

CONCORD, N.C. – Hillman Racing today announced that the West Virginia Coal Association and the Friends of Coal organization will be the primary marketing partners on the No. 27 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry driven by Team 7 Motorsports driver Jeff Agnew at Charlotte Motor Speedway for Friday night’s N.C. Education Lottery 200.

Located in Charleston, W.Va., the West Virginia Coal Association is a trade association representing more than 90 percent of the state's underground and surface coal mine production.  Its purpose is to have a unified voice representing the state's coal industry as well as increase emphasis on coal as a reliable energy source to help the nation achieve energy independence.

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No Region More Affected Than Appalachia

In 2011, West Virginia -- the second-largest U.S. coal producer -- accounted for 25 percent of the country's 91,611 coal jobs. By 2012, the number of miners or coal-related workers in West Virginia who applied for unemployment benefits had nearly tripled to almost 6,000.

But not all is lost. Hydraulic fracturing has made tapping into shale gas a viable endeavor, and the losses in coal could be more than made up by the gains in shale. About 3.5 million jobs will be created by 2035 as the United States exploits its shale reserves, a 2012 study by IHS Global Insight estimated

Coal Regaining Market Share

In recent years, natural gas has competed more effectively with coal as a fuel for electricity generation as the cost of operating natural gas-fired generators fell below the cost of operating coal-fired generators in some regions, changing the least-cost dispatch ordering of available units. EIA's most recent outlook shows how generation market shares respond to changing fuel prices.
  1. Exports Up
  2. WVCA Comments Filed on EPA's Impaired Streams List
  3. Emergency Drug Testing Rule Effective July 1
  4. Capito & McKinley Lead Effort to Defend Coal Jobs
  5. Past WVCA Chairman Passes

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