The WV Coal Mining Institute, the WVCA and the Central Appalachian Section of SME will be held at the Stonewall Jackson Resort May 3-5, 2012.

Registration information was sent out previously via e-mail with detailed information. If you did not receive please let us know and it will be resent.

Planning is now underway for the 40th Annual King Coal Festival in Williamson later this summer. The Action in Mingo (AIM) group is continuing a series of meetings with the goal of creating an amazing four-day event marking the celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the birth of the King Coal Festival.

This fall, representatives of West Virginia’s mining industry will gather at the 2012 Miners’ Celebration to recognize everyone who contributes to the enterprise.  The conference will be held Oct. 4-5 at Tamarack in Beckley.

“West Virginia’s mining industry depends upon thousands of individuals in many different roles,” said Dr. Tony Szwilski, chairman of the conference planning committee and director of Marshall University’s Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences. “Every one of these people—whether they are miners, safety engineers, environmental professionals, equipment suppliers, community leaders or teachers—contributes to each ton of coal produced.

According to the Public Information Office of the West Virginia Legislature, the following Interim Meetings schedule has been determined for the remainder of the year through the opening of the 2013 regular session. (NOTE:  Locations remain to be determined. A follow up notification will follow once locations have been released).

By Tom Wolf

Executive Director, Energy Council Illinois Chamber of Commerce

There’s a great scene in the 1983 movie classic Mr. Mom where Michael Keaton’s character is dropping off the kids at school and they’re yelling at him, “Dad! You’re doing it wrong!” Keaton doesn’t listen and gets chastised by the volunteer Mom who simply deadpans “You’re doing it wrong.”

It’s no surprise that movie memory comes to my mind when it comes to the Obama Administration’s attempt to regulate the future world of energy – specifically coal generation. In my mind they are simply doing it wrong. I think this for many reasons, including: