Latest News

Exports Up

According to U.S. International Trade Commission data for Jan-Mar 2013, U.S. coal exports were up 11.2% y/y to 31.8 million tons. Metallurgical coal exports for this period increased 4% y/y to 18.2 million tons. The y/y growth is primarily attributable to thermal coal exports, which were up 23% y/y to 13.6 million tons for the same period. The March 2013 export figure totaled 13.6 million tons, up from 8.6 million in tons in February and represented the single largest ever month for U.S. coal exports.

WVCA Comments Filed on EPA's Impaired Streams List

The Association filed comments earlier this week regarding the proposal from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to add streams to the 303(d) list of impaired waters for the State of West Virginia.

EPA published a notice in the Federal Register on Monday, April 8, 2013 in which it proposed adding 255 additional stream segments to the list of impaired waters for the State of West Virginia.  On March 25, 2013 EPA notified the state by letter that it was partially disapproving the state’s proposed 303(d) list of impaired waters.  EPA’s partial disapproval was based on the state’s decision not to place additional streams on the list of impaired waters for biological impairment using the West Virginia Stream Condition Index (WV SCI).

Read more …

Emergency Drug Testing Rule Effective July 1

The WV Board of Coal Mine Health & Safety promulgated an "Emergency Rule" designed to close a major loop hole in the State's mandatory drug testing program.

The Board's "Emergency Rule", which becomes effective on July 1, extends the reporting and decertification requirements in current state law to all individuals who fail a drug or alcohol test prescribed under state law.  Heretofore, only cases involving a positive drug test that resulted in discharge, were reported to the Office of Miners’ Health, Safety & Training for disciplinary action and suspension of mining certification privileges.

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Capito & McKinley Lead Effort to Defend Coal Jobs

Congresswoman Shelley Capito has joined with co-sponsors Barr, Shimkus, Lummis, Stivers, Wagner, Johnson, Griffith, Whitfield, McKinley, and Latta to introduce the Coal Jobs Protection Act in the House.  The bill number is H.R. 1829.

The bill proposes controls on the EPA in order to prevent the withdrawal (veto) of permits after issuance, as occurred with the Spruce permit.  A companion bill in the U.S Senate is being sponsored by Senator Mitch McConnell.

Past WVCA Chairman Passes

Former Association Board member, Jim Thomas, II, passed away on Wednesday in Charleston.  Jim was well known throughout the industry as he and his brother, Newt, operated Carbon Fuel for a number of years.  Since his retirement, he had been in numerous statewide organizations and a wide variety of civic activities in Charleston and the Kanawha Valley.  Jim was inducted in the West Virginia Coal Hall of Fame in 2000.  Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home in Charleston is in charge of arrangements which are incomplete at this time.

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

WV High School Entrepreneurship Opportunity

Members may want to let their employees know their children (high school) may attend the annual WV High School Entrepreneurship Summit at Camp Horseshoe.  June 9 – 15 details are available on the below attachment.

Sponsorships pay all the fees except $50 the student invests – or finds a sponsor for their $50 share of the fee.  The PDF is attached below (double click on PDF):

Legislative Interim Meeting 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.

WV DEP Holding SWROA Training Session

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Mining & Reclamation will hold a Surface Water Runoff Analysis (SWROA) training session on May 14, 2013 at the Charleston Civic Center.  To register for the training session contact Leslie Oaks 304-926-0499 ext. 1506
  1. Friends of Coal Relays Recently Held at Laidley Field
  2. 2013 National Coal Mine Rescue, First Aid, Bench and Pre-Shift Competition Set
  3. FOC Auxiliary thanks, recognizes volunteers
  4. Capito and McConnell take on EPA
  5. FOC Auto Fair Set

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