WVCA Senior Vice President Chris Hamilton will be the keynote speaker at this month’s meeting of the Kanawha Valley Mining Institute tonight, April 2, in Charleston. Hamilton will speak about the recently concluded legislative session, the changes the Legislature has undergone since the GOP takeover in the November elections, coal-focused legislation that was passed as well as other legislation the industry would like to see in the future.

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin will be presenting CEDAR with a Coal Education Proclamation declaring the week of April 19 – April 25, 2015 (14^th Regional Coal Fair to be held at the Chief Logan Convention Center) Coal Education week in West Virginia, on Monday, April 13, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.  Burch Elementary second grade class (Helen Curry teacher) will be present for the proclamation.

The West Virginia Business and Industrial Council has partnered with the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the West Virginia Economic Council to sponsor a series of business and political forums around the state during 2015. 

Our goal is to bring attention to local economic activity and future growth opportunities. The forums will feature up-to-date discussions on tax and legal fairness, as well as educational, energy and general business topics. They will include a line-up of industry and business leaders from around the state.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service published a Federal Register Notice today formally designating the Northern Long-Eared Bat as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.  The F&WS has also published an interim rule to address activities that may adversely impact the bat and its habitat.  Information on the listing and the interim rule are available at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/04/02/2015-07069/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-threatened-species-status-for-the-northern-long-eared

The 2015 Joint Spring Meeting of the WV Coal Association, the WV Coal Mining Institute and the Central Appalachian Section of SME will be held at the Stonewall Jackson Resort, May 13-15, 2015.

A block of rooms has been reserved for our meeting and will terminate on Monday, April 6.  Please make your reservation by calling Stonewall Jackson at 1-888-278-8150 and advise them that you are with the WV Coal Mining Institute group.  The block cost is $140.00 plus tax per night for single or double rooms.