An equipment failure of a WV approved emergency shelter was investigated by the Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training.  The initial findings are being communicated to manufacturers and copied to the industry.

At this time no immediate danger is posed by the identified issue and no actions by operators is required.  Operators should continue their routine examinations and report any unusual findings to the manufacturer and the Director.

WV approved emergency shelter manufacturers are to review this report, when received, and respond with an evaluation of attributed of their equipment that would prevent such an occurrence or an action plan for the examination and corrective actions to be taken to the Director by February 15.

Please mark your calendars with a change for the Kanawha Valley Mining Institute’s meeting to February 10^th.  The meeting was initially set for the 3^rd but has been changed due to the WV Coal Mining Symposium.

CHARLESTON – Today’s decision by the Obama Administration and the U.S. EPA to revoke the permits for Mingo-Logan’s Spruce Mine shows an unbelievable arrogance and a total disregard for the impact this decision will have on the lives of West Virginia’s families.

The people of West Virginia cannot allow our economy to be destroyed as we wait for months or even years for a court decision on this issue.  It is vital that our congressional leadership take the steps necessary to bring the EPA’s senseless assault against Appalachian coal production to an end.

This issue goes beyond coal. Across our country, job after job is threatened by the arrogance of the EPA bureaucracy.  Congress must step up and bring this nightmare to an end.  Call your Congressional representatives and senators today. Tell them to end the tyranny of the EPA and restore the balance needed to bring jobs back to America.

Bluefield Daily Telegraph - January 10, 2011

BLUEFIELD — The 11 state legislators from West Virginia and Virginia who met with the Bluefield Daily Telegraph editorial board last week face different challenges when they return to Charleston and Richmond, Va., this week. In West Virginia, a senate leadership change will take center stage, and in Virginia, legislators will deal with trimming the budget.

Charleston Daily Mail - Guest Opinion by Gene Kitts - January 11, 2011

I was surprised to see the Washington Post article "Big Coal digs in against government safety push" on the front page of the Jan. 5 Daily Mail. I actually thought the carrier had mistakenly delivered the Gazette instead of the Daily Mail.

This article was incredibly one-sided and did not do justice to the complex issue of mine regulation and safety violations.