CHARLESTON, W.Va. ─ The West Virginia Coal Association convened its 44th annual Coal Mining Symposium Feb. 22 and celebrated the safety achievements of mining operations across the state.

“We take great pride in the accomplishments West Virginia’s coal operators and their miners have achieved in safety,” said Coal Association President Bill Raney. “There is no greater responsibility in our industry than making sure that our miners go home safely at the end of a long workday.”

Inspectors with the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training evaluate all coal operations and contractors to select the winners, and Deputy Director Eugene White presented the awards.

The Mountaineer Guardian Safety Awards presented during the Symposium’s Wednesday luncheon are:

Statewide Awards

• Eustace E. Frederick Milestone Safety Award for underground coal mines:
  • Sentinel Mine, Wolf Run Mining Company (Barbour County)
• Bart B. Lay Jr. Milestone Safety Award for surface coal mines:
  • Republic Energy Mine, Elk Run Coal Company, dba Republic Energy (Raleigh County)
  • Holden No. 22 Mine, Phoenix Coal-Mac Mining Inc. (Logan County)

Regional Awards

Region 1:

• Underground operations: Tunnel Ridge Mine, Tunnel Ridge LLC (Ohio County)
• Surface Operations: Humphrey No. 7 Mine, LP Mineral LLC (Monongalia County)
• Preparation Plants: Leer Preparation Plant, ACI Tygart Valley (Taylor County); Marshall County Loadout, Marshall County Coal Company (Marshall County); Star Bridge Prep Plant, United Coal Company (Marshall County)
• Quarry Operations: Burning Springs, Martin Marietta Materials Inc. (Ritchie County)
• Independent Contractor: Preston Contractors Inc. (Preston County)

Region 2:

• Underground operations: Wyoming No. 2 Mine, Brooks Run South Mining LLC (Wyoming County); No. 39 Mine, XMV Inc. (McDowell County)
• Surface Operations: Gray Hawk Surface Mine, Extra Energy Inc. (McDowell County)
• Preparation Plants: Kepler No. 1 Prep Plant, Kepler Procession Company LLC (Wyoming County); Eckman Plant, Prime Processing Inc. (McDowell County)
• Independent Contractor: B&J Trucking (McDowell County)

Region 3:

• Underground operations: Aracoma Alma No. 1 Mine, Aracoma Coal Company (Logan County); Mountaineer II Mine, Mingo Logan Coal Company (Logan County)
• Preparation Plants: Saunders Preparation Plant, Greenbrier Minerals LLC (Logan County)
• Quarry Operations: Patterson Quarry, Patterson Excavating Company (Logan County)
• Independent Contractor: Trace Transport (Boone County)

Region 4:

• Underground operations: Beckley Pocahontas Mine, ICG Beckley LLC (Raleigh County); Maple Eagle No. 1 Mine, Seminole WV Mining Co. (Fayette County)
• Surface Operations: Pollack Knob Mine, Greenbrier Smokeless Coal LLC (Greenbrier County)
• Preparation Plants: Tom’s Fork Preparation Plant/Loadout, Panther Creek Mining LLC (Kanawha County)
• Independent Contractor: Clay Trucking Inc. (Kanawha County); Nelson Brothers (statewide)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. ─ The West Virginia Coal Association is extending a giant "thank you" to President Trump for officially overturning a job-killing rule from the previous administration.

Today, President Trump signed the congressional resolution of disapproval that overturns the so-called Stream Protection Rule. This rule, which was released by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining in the final days of 2016, would have sterilized as much as 70 percent of American coalfields and specifically targeted underground coal mining. 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. ─ The West Virginia Coal Association is condemning a final attempt by the Obama Administration to end coal mining in the United States.

Today, the U.S. Department of the Interior released final revisions to federal mining regulations- the latest in a long list of executive actions intended to stop American coal mining.

“This so-called ‘Stream Protection Rule’ is actually a coal-industry-killer rule,” said Bill Raney, president of the Coal Association, which represents the majority of coal companies operating in West Virginia. “Our coal companies and their miners and families do not deserve this final salvo in President Obama’s War on Coal. To call this an unwelcome Christmas present is a big understatement.”

The Coal Association is pleased with the selection of Mr. Pruitt and we look forward to working with EPA under the leadership of the new administrator to return the nation's environmental regulatory programs to the appropriate balance of authority between the federal government and individual state agencies.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has worked with Pruitt on the state's fight against federal overreach, so we are confident the EPA will be in the hands of someone who will examine all aspects of environmental protection, including the impact regulations have on our state's coal miners.

It's clear based on Pruitt's experiences in Oklahoma that he has an appreciation for our frustrations in West Virginia where the authority of the democratically elected state legislature and the governor was assumed by unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats that colluded with anti-coal extremist organizations to restrict our nation's coal production.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Coal Association is cheering President-Elect Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 General Election.

“This election outcome is more than West Virginia’s coal industry could have hoped for,” said Coal Association President Bill Raney. “Not only will Congress stay in the leadership hands of those who understand coal’s importance to the American economy, but we finally will have a chief executive who hears us and cares about us in West Virginia.”

While coal production in West Virginia likely will not return to the record productions levels prior to the 2008, Raney said the industry outlook shows signs of improving.

“We’ve seen some modest increases in coal pricing, but the thought of seeing the completely ill-advised and unwarranted regulatory attacks from Washington go away gives us every reason to be hopeful about West Virginia’s coal industry,” Raney said. “We have a lot of miners and workers in supporting businesses who are out of work right now. We look forward to working with the Trump Administration and the 115^th Congress to get our folks back to work.”

Raney says West Virginia coal production provides vital raw materials for America’s manufacturing base and electric grid security. Coal-fired power is the most affordable and reliable baseload material available, he said. 

“Worldwide coal demand is projected to grow for at least the next few decades,” Raney said. “We look forward to working with Governor-elect Jim Justice and his new administration to capitalize on this opportunity for growth with a renewed focus on coal and energy issues in West Virginia.”