By TOM ZELLER Jr. — Published: August 30, 2010
Blasting off mountaintops to reach coal in Appalachia or churning out millions of tons of carbon dioxide to extract oil from sand in Alberta are among environmentalists’ biggest industrial irritants. But they are also legal and lucrative.
For a growing number of banks, however, that does not seem to matter.
Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/31/business/energy-environment/31coal.html?hp
By The Associated Press – August 30, 2010
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Activists from Appalachia called on the Obama administration Monday to end the practice of mountaintop removal coal mining, saying it is destroying their land and harming their water quality.
Although the administration has set out to curb the practice, activists said at a news conference near the Capitol said that it hasn’t done enough. The group plans a Washington rally on Sept. 27 and is inviting President Barack Obama to attend.
Read more at http://wvgazette.com/News/201008300916
Washington (Platts)–27Aug2010
A New Mexico environmental group will file a lawsuit Monday to delay the
sale of two federal coal tracts in the Powder River Basin.
The lawsuit, to be filed at the Interior Board of Land Appeals, will
continue efforts by WildEarth Guardians to force the federal government to
consider the effects of greenhouse gases produced by coal mined in Wyoming. In
separate suits filed earlier this year, the group accused the Bureau of Land
Management of overlooking climate change and other air-quality impacts in
their environmental reviews.
Read more at http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/HeadlineNews/Coal/6392810/
BY JO DEE BLACK • TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER • AUGUST 26, 2010
JUDITH BASIN COUNTY — A Denver-based company says it is buying 29,000 acres in Judith Basin County to mine coal.
American Power Corp. has an agreement to buy the Pace Coal Project for $1.95 million, according to reports filed with the Security and Exchange Commission.
Read more at http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20100826/NEWS01/8260303/Coal-mine-being-explored-in-Judith-Basin-County
By: By Ashley Martin, Forum Communications Co., The Jamestown Sun -Published August 26 2010
The Dakota Resource Council urged the review of a possible coal mining application near South Heart by federal officials in a letter written to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement in Wyoming, according to a recent press release.
South Heart Coal LLC, which is owned by South Heart Development LLC and Allied Syngas Corp., plans to operate a coal mine and construct a gasification plant near South Heart.
http://www.jamestownsun.com/event/article/id/117951/group/News/’>http://www.jamestownsun.com/event/article/id/117951/group/News/
BY MARK PETERS – August 26, 2010
A slump in prices of natural-gas futures is having a knock-on effect in the U.S. coal market.
Gas prices have fallen so far, trading Wednesday at a five-month low of less than $4 a million British thermal units, that gas-powered plants are able to capture a bigger share of the market.
Read more at http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748704540904575451960610650340.html
By The Associated Press – August 25, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A lawsuit claiming hundreds of children were exposed to toxic coal dust from a Massey Energy Co. silo next to Marsh Fork Elementary School may be tried next spring.
Raleigh County Judge Harry Kirkpatrick has scheduled trial for March 14, 2011, in Beckley. Williamson attorney Kevin Thompson says a pretrial hearing is set for Feb. 17.
Read more at http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201008250455
ST. LOUIS, Aug 24, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/
Patriot Coal Corporation (NYSE: PCX) announced today that Paul H. Vining is stepping down as President & Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. In order to ensure a smooth transition of his responsibilities, Mr. Vining has agreed to continue in a senior advisory role at Patriot for a period which could extend through the end of this year.
The Company also announced that Charles A. Ebetino, Jr. will assume the position of Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for all of Patriot’s mining operations. Mr. Ebetino has served as Patriot’s Senior Vice President – Corporate Development since its 2007 spin-off. Ebetino has more than 30 years of operating and commercial experience in the coal and utility industries, including prior senior management roles at Peabody Energy and American Electric Power, where he served as President & Chief Operating Officer of AEP’s coal mining and coal-related subsidiaries from 1993 until 2002. “Chuck’s prior management experience, combined with his operating background and specific knowledge of Patriot’s operations, make him an excellent fit for this position,” stated Patriot Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Whiting. “His deep understanding of all aspects of coal mining and marketing will serve the Company well as he assumes this critical role,” continued Whiting.
Read more at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=216060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1462997
DENVER, CO, Aug 23, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — American Power Corp. (TGMP 1.04, -0.01, -0.95%) (“American Power” or “the Company”) today announced that it will proceed to kick start the development of its advanced Pace Coal Project in Judith Basin County, Montana.
In April 2010, American Power Corp. acquired roughly 29,000 acres, which make up the Pace Coal Project. In 1979 Mobil Oil Co. (now ExxonMobil) drilled 30 holes over 14,000 of the project’s acreage, and delivered 45 samples which were later sent to an independent laboratory for analysis. It was subsequently determined that both the quality and the quantity of coal on the Pace acreage was high and significant, respectively. Several independent reports were commissioned based on the development work undertaken by Mobil Oil, determining there could be in excess of 410 million tons of high volatility bituminous coal potential on the Pace acreage.
Posted on August 23rd, 2010 — International Mining
America’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is moving ahead with plans to lease rights to over 2,900 Mt of coal adjacent to surface mines in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin (PRB). The agency’s path forward became clear with the recent release of an environmental impact statement (EIS) for six lease tracts consisting of 22,000 acres in the Wright Area and, separately, two final records of decision to lease almost 320 Mt under a separate final EIS for South Gillette. Additional decisions are expected from BLM in coming weeks that will clear the way for coal mining in two additional tracts near Gillette.
“This (Wright Area decision) is probably the biggest coal leasing decision that’s ever been proposed by the federal government,†said Jeremy Nichols, energy and climate change director for WildEarth Guardians. The decisions to expedite PRB coal leases prompted environmental groups like his to stiffen their resistance to coal production in the region by citing potential harm from additional concentrations of greenhouse gases.
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