Below is a link to the revised administrative “drug testing” rule filed by the WV Office of Miners’ Health Safety & Training.  The revised rule, which incorporates the recent legislative changes, becomes effective on May 10^th, 2014. The following provisions have been amended into the rule or revised. For your information, the OMHST reports over 400 temporary and 1 permanent de-certifications since the inception of the state’s mandatory drug testing program, January/2013.

With no consideration of the economic consequences of their decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, DC upheld the Obama EPA in the White Stallion Energy Center v. EPA case related to the mercury and air toxic standards (MATS).  In the 2-1 ruling the Court majority said federal law and previous court decisions do not require the federal EPA to consider cost when imposing new regulations on electric utilities. The dissenting judge criticized the EPA for not considering the cost of the rules, which are estimated at $9.6 billion a year to industry. Most companies will have until March 2015 to meet the new standards. States could grant an additional year, and EPA could extend the deadline until 2017, if a specific power plant unit was critical for reliability. The decision can be obtained by clickinghere.

Alpha Natural Resources’  Senior VP-Operations, Mike Snelling,  Consol Energy’s COO-Coal Jimmy Brock and WV DEP Secretary Randy Huffman will join Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett to headline next week’s Nemacolin National Energy Conference at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.  The full agenda and registration information can be accessed at this link: http://www.nationalcoalconference.com/

In the midst of a difficult Primary Election race, State Senator Sam Cann (Harrison, Lewis, Gilmer, Braxton & Clay Counties) was honored for his longtime Legislative Excellence and support of the business community by the West Virginia Business & Industry Council (WV BIC) at a regional meeting in Clarksburg yesterday.  The official news release can be accessed by clicking here: Sam Cann news release.  Congratulations Senator Samand good luck in the Primary. 

The 13^th Coal Education Development & Resource (CEDAR) of Southern West Virginia Regional Coal Fair will be held at the Harless Center in Gilbert on April 7 – April 11. K thru 12 grade student projects will be on display and every project is focused on coal.  Projects compete in seven categories: Science, Math, Social Studies, English/Literature, Music, Art and Technology/Multimedia.  Students from Mingo Logan, Boone, McDowell, Wyoming and Wayne Counties compete for prize money while learning about coal and the importance of coal in our daily lives.

The full schedule is below, please take time to visit, tour the projects and support the coal industry and students.