September 5, 2013

Senator Jay Rockefeller recently introduced the Black Lung Health Improvements Act in August. This is in response to over 2,000 coal miners killed by black lung in the past 10 years which some are calling a recent “black lung epidemic.”

The goal of Senator Rockefeller’s proposal is to limit coal dust regulations for underground mines and prioritize worker safety. This will likely be accomplished by federal agency regulations in attempts to circumvent a divided Congress.

 Read article at  http://www.charlestondailymail.com/News/201309050021

August 16 2013

A 24 year old Upton, WY man died early morning on August 16^th while working for the Black Thunder mine.

Jacob Dowdy, a miner for Arch Coal, was killed when a powder shovel at Black Thunder mine was driving up a ramp and rolled backwards, colliding with Jacob Dowdy’s truck and killing him and injuring the driver of the other truck behind him.

Read article at http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/worker-dies-at-wyoming-s-black-thunder-mine/article_d0a00eb8-9ac8-57a2-8b0e-557a73dbccd9.html

July 6, 2013

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently identified an increase in black lung disease among Kentucky coal miners. In 1969, 40 percent of seasoned miners had black lung but with the passage of the 1969 mining act, the prevalence from 1995 to 1999 had dropped to 2 percent.

However NIOSH recently reported that from 2005 to 2009, 9 percent of Eastern Kentucky miners had developed black lung. Some of the reasons being attributed are shifts of 10 to 12 hours in the mines; poorly designed dust control regulations; more cutting through rock in thinner coal seams; and the coal industry’s failure to follow these regulations to protect coal miner safety.

Read article at http://www.kentucky.com/2013/07/06/2705218/after-decades-of-decline-black.html

See document at http://media.kentucky.com/smedia/2013/07/03/12/07/wrWFO.So.79.pdf

June 7, 2013

A 36-year-old Tuscaloosa, Alabama man died on June 7 after he fell off a walkway and onto coal mining equipment while working the No. 7 mine for Jim Walters Resources.

The victim died on the scene and this is not the first incident to have been reported in this mine.

 Read article at http://blog.al.com/tuscaloosa/2013/06/miner_injured_feared_dead_in_a.html

April 24, 2013

The Washington Post recently reported a study from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement that the majority of storage ponds for sludge associated with coal mining are fragile and are of substandard construction.

Out of 73 tests performed on the structural integrity of the walls holding the toxic sludge in the storage ponds, only 16 walls met the standards. This report highlights the potential dangers to both coal worker safety and the environment.

Read article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/many-coal-sludge-impoundments-have-weak-walls-federal-study-says/2013/04/24/76c5be2a-acf9-11e2-a8b9-2a63d75b5459_story.html

January 31, 2013

Citizen’s groups in Kentucky recently rose a public objection to what they claim is the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet making back-room deals with Frasure Creek Mining. The agreement is to determine fines levied against Frasure Creek mining for hundreds of water pollution violations. The citizens groups are claiming that the state of Kentucky is allowing Frasure Creek Coal’s threat of forfeiture to get off the hook for $440,000 of the $660,000 penalties for intentional polluting of Kentucky waterways.

This is just another example of citizen groups alleging that they are being excluded from all negotiations while the coal industry is being allowed to settle pollution violations through private, non-public negotiations.

Read article at http://appvoices.org/2013/02/01/citizens-object-to-state-of-kentucky%E2%80%99s-backroom-deal-with-coal-company/

See document at  http://appvoices.org/aww/Frasure_OAH_Settlement_Objections.pdf

December 12, 2012

According to a report released by Downstream Strategies, the state of Virginia in 2009 lost an estimated $22 million in revenues as a result of the coal industry. The coal industry was the largest expenditure to the state of Virginia and is said to receive over $37 million a year in tax breaks within the state.

This article emphasizes the need for reform in the tax structure associated with the coal industry and the drain these tax breaks are taking on local economies. Downstream Strategies also discusses the decline of coal production in Virginia and the rising costs associated with coal mining expenses.

Read article at http://appvoices.org/2012/12/12/coal-industry-costs-virginians-millions-of-dollars-every-year/

See document at  http://www.downstreamstrategies.com/documents/reports_publication/ds_impact_of_coal_on_virginia_state_budget_final_12-10-12.pdf

July 5, 2012

Cloud Peak Energy, the owners of the Spring Creek Coal Mine in Montana, has purchased an undeveloped coal mine near Sheridan, WY for $300 million from the Youngs Creek Mining Company.

The new mine has already obtained its mining permits and once operational is estimated to employ about 200 people at the site. While Wyoming is one of the largest coal producing states most of its production is centered around Gillette. This mine is about 100 miles west of there, and is in a region that has not recently had significant coal mining.

Read article at http://www.kulr8.com/news/wyoming/161276245.html

June 29, 2012

The Kiewit Mining Company, owners of the Buckskin Mine in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, has announced that it plans to lay off some workers in the coming weeks. The specifics about the size, composition and timing of the layoff are still being determined.

Buckskin is just the latest mine in the region to lay off employees as a result of a significant softening in the coal market. First quarter production at the mine was down 21% from the same quarter last year.

Read article at http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/gillette-coal-mine-to-lay-off-employees/article_eda14004-95cd-58c6-8742-057b79854d65.html

June 19, 2012

A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives aims to put a halt on new or expansion mountaintop removal coal mining permits until further health studies can be conducted.

The bill was introduced by 13 members of Congress led by Reps. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and Louise Slaughter, D-New York. It calls for a moratorium on new mountaintop removal coal mines until science “demonstrates the mines will not cost local families their lives and health.”

If passed, the bill would prevent new permits until the Secretary of Health and Human Services published a determination that mountaintop removal presents no human health risks.

The representatives point to studies showing elevated levels of birth defects, groundwater contamination and air pollution as a result of mountain top removal coal mining.

Read article at http://wvgazette.com/News/201206190104