Coal production in the U.S. continued to decline this past week according to the latest report from the Energy Information Agency (EIA) and the National Mining Association.

Production in the United States is down by slightly less than 1.5 million tons (7.6%) for the week ending April 11 compared to the same time last year. Production for the week stood at 18.02 million tons compared to 19.50 million tons for the same week in 2014. Cumulative production for the year-to-date also remained down as of April 11 coming in at 264.09 million tons compared to 275.94 million tons last year – a decline of 4.3%.

TVMI Monthly meeting will be held in conjunction with CEDAR on April 23 with social hour beginning at 6 and Dinner served a 7 p.m. at the Logan Convention Center.  Bob Murray with Murray Energy will be the guest speaker.  For reservations please contact Barb Murphy (bmurphy@archcoal.com or call 304.792.8445).

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.

The installation of the fifteenth class of inductees to the WV Coal Hall of Fame will be held on Thursday evening honoring Calvin Kidd and L. Newton Thomas, Jr.

Golf tournament on Thursday is also available. Contact the WVCMI at (304) 293-4179 for reservations.

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has officially declared the fourth week of April (April 19 –April 25, 2105) Coal Education Week in the Mountain State. Tomblin made the announcement at a ceremony at the State Capitol Monday, April 13, 2015. CEDAR board members, WV Coal Association members and Burch Elementary second grade students were present for the ceremony.

The Proclamation recognizes the importance of coal in West Virginia from fuel that powered the transformation of the United States during the Industrial Revolution to present day through economic development and diversification resulting in new commercial, industrial, agricultural, public, residential and recreational facilities on land made available through coal mining.

By Eric Wolff (SNL)

The U.S. EPA's proposed carbon dioxide rule appears likely to survive its first court challenge, a panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit indicated at oral arguments on April 16.

West Virginia and coal producer Murray Energy Corp. argued that even though the rule was still in the draft stage, it was such an unusual regulation that the court should rule. They may have found a willing ear in Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, but Judges Brett Kavanaugh and Thomas Griffith seemed concerned that wading into what they called a routine rulemaking process would open the court to a wave to future challenges.