Admin note: This article takes a look at the broader impacts of implementing the EPA’s MATS rule. It is a fair review of the costs and expected closures/outages that will result from the move to make extensive capital investments to the existing coal fleet. This article was originally published on GenerationHub.com and is reprinted with [...] … [Read more...]
Tariffs on Chinese solar
May 18, 2012 By
Cato President, David Boaz, discusses the Obama administration’s move to impose import tariffs on Chinese solar panels and solar cells. Boaz likens the US solar industry’s demands for protection from foreign competition to Fredric Bastiat’s “Candlemakers Petition.” (I enthusiastically embrace any opportunity to link to or recount Monsieur Bastiat’s thoughts, so …) You are on [...] … [Read more...]
The ‘hockey stick’ may be faltering
May 17, 2012 By
The ‘hockey stick‘ graph produced by Michael Mann, at Penn State may have suffered the final blow to its credibility. As more original data sets are released to the public and other scientists and statisticians have the opportunity to recreate Mann’s work, their findings are lacking the distinct 20th century uptick in temperatures. But at [...] … [Read more...]
Coal Hall of Fame Inducts Two
May 10, 2012 By
The West Virginia Coal Hall of Fame inducted two new members, Charles Holland and Paul Morton, during ceremonies May 4 at the Stonewall Resort in … [Read more...]
WV Innovative Mine Safety Technology Tax Credit Act
May 10, 2012 By
The “West Virginia Innovative Mine Safety Technology Tax Credit Act” established during the 2011 regular legislative session is now operative and a tax credit for qualifying, new mine safety technologies is available. A copy of the application form, implementing rules and the list of qualifying mine safety technologies is available from WVCA. … [Read more...]
Time Running Out For Comments
May 10, 2012 By
A little more than one month is left before the end of the comment period on the EPA’s proposed GHG New Source Performance Standards Rule. The EPA published its proposed rule last month in the Federal Register, setting New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gases. The 60-day comment period ends June 12. The public can view comment submissions at regulations.gov under the docket ID no. EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0660. … [Read more...]
FOC Ladies Auxiliary Has New Web Site
May 10, 2012 By
The Friends of Coal Ladies Auxiliary has a new web site and they are asking that you visit the new web site www.friendsofcoalladies.com as many times as you can. … [Read more...]
Draft 303(D) List of Impaired Waters Published by WV DEP
May 10, 2012 By
Today the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) published its draft listing of impaired streams that fail to meet state water quality standards and fail to meet their Clean Water Act (CWA) designated use. … [Read more...]
New Members
May 10, 2012 By
The Association is proud to welcome four new members this week, including … [Read more...]
Coal Forum to Host Three Meetings
May 10, 2012 By
The West Virginia Coal Forum will host three forums acrossWest Virginia … [Read more...]
Submissions to Annual State Journal Coal Insert
May 10, 2012 By
Less than two weeks remain to submit stories and idea or reserve ad space in the upcoming annual West Virginia Coal Association/Friends of Coal State Journal insert. … [Read more...]
Sierra Club moves beyond coal to target natural gas
May 4, 2012 By
This article demonstrates something that I have been telling listeners in my writing and public speaking for years. When the environmental industry feels comfortable in its ability to attack and suppress one form of energy, they inevitably move on to the next. For those who believed the stories that green groups viewed natural gas as [...] … [Read more...]
King Coal Still Reigns
May 4, 2012 By
This article by the Australian describes the rush to use coal across the planet as renewables fail to fill gaps and European natural gas prices remain stubbornly high. Despite high hopes for renewables, the figures show the world to be on the cusp of another fossil fuel boom. King Coal is refusing to die and, [...] … [Read more...]
EPA earning a reputation for abuse
May 4, 2012 By
The EPA is earning a reputation for abuse … Interestingly, this short article doesn’t discuss the EPA’s regulations targeted at the coal industry when there is a host of other examples to pick from there. … [Read more...]
Time for the EPA to stop putting politics before facts
May 3, 2012 By
Lance Brown with PACE has a good editorial in the Houston Chronicle where he argues that it is time for the EPA to quit with the political games and move back to regulation that is based in science and reason. Brown recounts the story of Al Armendariz, former EPA Region 6 Administrator who joked about [...] … [Read more...]
Maria’s Place – rising energy costs are hitting the average Joe … & Maria … hard
May 3, 2012 By
Maria Tworek’s story is the same story being told by millions of American’s over the past few years. Maria is a small business owner that is working hard to provide her customers with a good product and her family with a roof over their heads. But small business owners like Maria are struggling to deal [...] … [Read more...]
CORESafety
May 2, 2012 By
Because mining safety is EVERYBODY’s business. NMA Core Safety from SPARK Experience Design on Vimeo. … [Read more...]
CORESafety
May 2, 2012 By
Because mining safety is EVERYBODY’s business. NMA Core Safety from SPARK Experience Design on Vimeo. … [Read more...]
Why can’t we be treated like everybody else?
May 2, 2012 By
This is a powerful video of Rep. Hal Rogers (KY) questioning EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on the EPA’s refusal to approve Appalachian mining permits. It’s instructive to see Ms. Jackson and her staff struggling and scrambling to find one out of her claimed “many” approved permits, when Mr. Rogers asks her to give him the [...] … [Read more...]
Wind Farms Are Warming the Earth, Researchers Say
April 29, 2012 By
New research finds that wind farms actually warm up the surface of the land underneath them during the night, a phenomenon that could put a damper on efforts to expand wind energy as a green energy solution. Researchers used satellite data from 2003 to 2011 to examine surface temperatures across as wide swath of west Texas, which has built four of the world's largest wind farms. The data showed a direct correlation between night-time temperatures increases of 0.72 degrees C (1.3 degrees F) and … [Read more...]
EPA Official explains his department’s “philosophy of enforcement”
April 26, 2012 By
This video of Al Armendariz, EPA’s Region VI Administrator provides a very clear view into the mind and intentions of at least one high-ranking EPA official – Armedariz states that he is responsible for 150 EPA agents and for enforcement activities across five states. While answering a question in a public meeting, Mr. Armendariz likens his [...] … [Read more...]
EPA Official explains his department’s “philosophy of enforcement”
April 26, 2012 By
This video of Al Armendariz, EPA’s Region VI Administrator provides a very clear view into the mind and intentions of at least one high-ranking EPA official – Armedariz states that he is responsible for 150 EPA agents and for enforcement activities across five states. While answering a question in a public meeting, Mr. Armendariz likened his [...] … [Read more...]
Association of State Legislators Report Confirms WVCA Assertion that EPA has Derailed the Nation’s Economy
April 24, 2012 By
Group issues scathing review of Obama EPA’s record of job destruction CHARLESTON – A report by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) – an association of state legislators – says the Obama EPA is out of control and is “creating regulatory chaos, stagnating investment … [and] destroying jobs.” “During the past couple of years, the [EPA] has undertaken the most expansive regulatory assault in history on the production and distribution of affordable and reliable … [Read more...]
Syd S. Peng: We Need To Back Fossil Fuels
April 21, 2012 By
We have an urgent national priority: moving forward with the development and demonstration of energy-efficient technologies that would enable America to burn fossil fuels more cleanly and cheaply. With the outlook dimming for nuclear power and renewable energy sources, there are growing concerns that efforts to maintain air quality and combat global warming will fail as energy production increases in the years ahead. … [Read more...]
Time Running Out
April 19, 2012 By
A little more than a month remains to submit story ideas or get ad space for the annual WV Coal Association/Friends of Coal State Journal insert. We are in the process of developing an editorial plan for this publication. We are very interested in photos and story ideas from our membership. … [Read more...]
WV Joins Multi-State Challenge to EPA
April 19, 2012 By
Governor Tomblin this week moved to join … [Read more...]
BCMH&S Files Comments
April 19, 2012 By
The State Board of Coal Mine Health & Safety has (re)filed for public comment the following five (5) sets of administrative rules, including four (4) of which, that have been held in abeyance for nearly two years. Ø -- … [Read more...]
West Virginia CEDAR Golf Tournament
April 19, 2012 By
The West Virginia Eleventh Annual CEDAR Golf Classic will be held on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at the Twisted Gun Golf Course in … [Read more...]