Mining

Decision to Review Certain Permits Will Save or Create Jobs, Protect Communities

March 25, 2009 -- Washington, DC: Tuesday’s announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it will review certain permits for mountaintop removal coal mines something the Bush EPA never did is a strong first step in the complex effort to end this most destructive form of coal mining and to support Appalachia’s long-term economic vitality.

Conflicting media reports and multiple press releases Tuesday led some to question the impact of the EPA announcement.    » read more »

March 25, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin today released this statement after meeting with officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency:

“Late this morning, I met with senior White House environmental officials to discuss mountaintop mining and the letters sent yesterday by the EPA about mining permits. We had a very productive meeting during which I shared our concerns about the potential impact of those letters. They explained that they are evaluating a number of permits, but want to look more closely at the two mining permits in question. I told them we are looking for a balance between the environment and the economy, and they assured me that they will work with us to find that balance.    » read more »

Sierra Club Applauds Bold Action to Protect Streams, Communities

March 24, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. The Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it will review the issuance of new permits for mountaintop removal coal mines.

The announcement comes just over one month after a controversial Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that paved the way for more than 100 additional mountaintop removal mining permits. That decision left the permitting of mountaintop removal mines up to the Army Corps, but today’s action will protect Appalachian communities and hundreds of miles of streams.

In response to today’s announcement, Sierra Club Executive Director, Carl Pope issued the following statement:    » read more »

Swaady Martin Newly-Appointed Regional Director for GE Transportation in Sub-Saharan Africa

Cape Town, South Africa (March 5, 2009) - GE Transportation, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), announced that in order to underscore its commitment to infrastructure development in Africa while accelerating the company’s growth in southern Africa and in the Republic of South Africa in particular, Swaady Martin has been appointed Regional Director.

GE Transportation has a long and successful history of operations and activities throughout Africa. The business was the first GE business active in South Africa in the 1890s and it has maintained its commitment to the rail industry in the region ever since.    » read more »

Kentucky Native Joins Sierra Club to Ask Obama Administration to End the Destruction

March 4, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. Film star Ashley Judd has teamed up with the Sierra Club to help stop mountaintop removal coal mining. With a new personal letter, video and online “take-action,” Ashley Judd is asking the Obama Administration to step in and protect the mountains, streams and people of Appalachia.

“I grew up in Eastern Kentucky, and like so many Appalachians, just seeing our beautiful mountains and valleys tells me I am home,” says Judd in the letter. “Our mountains are our heritage and our legacy to future generations. But big coal companies are using explosives to literally blow the tops off the mountains, extract the coal and destroy Appalachia.”    » read more »

Proposed Bill Mandates Swift Action, But Stronger Measures Needed

Washington, DC (February 12, 2009) -- As Congress considers legislation today to regulate the toxic byproducts of coal-fired power plants, a broad coalition of environmental groups welcome the quick attention to this vital issue from Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.V.) and the committee, but cautioned that more sweeping action is necessary to fully address the problem.

At a hearing today by the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, committee members reviewed the Coal Ash Reclamation, Environment, and Safety Act of 2009, introduced January 14 on the heels of coal ash spills at two Tennessee Valley Authority power plants.    » read more »

Jan. 29, 2009 -- DENVER, CO – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today launched an ethics reform initiative that will reexamine the potential criminal conduct of a group of Minerals Management Service employees, look at restructuring the agency’s oil and gas royalty program, and thoroughly review the Department’s ethics regulations and policies.

Leading the initiative for the Secretary will be Tom Strickland, the Secretary’s chief of staff who was the United States Attorney for Colorado when Salazar served as the state’s Attorney General and top law enforcement officer.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 01/27/2009 - Failure by Congress to reform the nation’s mining law and to rein in long-standing special interest subsidies could cost U.S. taxpayers approximately $1.6 billion over the coming decade, according to a new report released today by the Pew Campaign for Responsible Mining. The report comes along with a new push in the U.S. House of Representatives to reform the 19th century law.    » read more »

April 16, 2008 -- HARRISBURG - Following two separate mine explosions, the owner of a Schuylkill County mine, the mine's foreman and a miner were each arrested yesterday on involuntary manslaughter and other charges by the Attorney General's Office.

Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendants as:

* David Zimmerman, 52, 79 Mollystown Road, Pine Grove (mine owner and operator)
* Steven Zimmerman, 32, 77 Mollystown Road, Pine Grove (mine foreman)
* Jeffrey Klinger, 42, 2A West Laurel St., Tremont (miner)

Schuylkill County coal mine defendants: David Zimmerman, Steven Zimmerman and Jeffrey Klinger (left to right)    » read more »

Governor proclaims April 15, 2008, Mine Safety Day in Illinois

April 15, 2008 -- SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich announced today that Illinois’ coal mine industry achieved a record fifth consecutive year without a fatality, a milestone never before achieved in Illinois.

Mine more coal sign, Pennsylvania: Photo by Mike Thomas (CC)

This achievement is a testament to increased safety measures over the last several years and the diligence of mine workers in Illinois to follow safety procedures. The Governor also proclaimed April 15, 2008, as Mine Safety Day in Illinois.    » read more »

April 12, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Palin today released a statement on a $25,000 budget request from some lawmakers to pay for state government dissemination of information related to mining. The funds would be used to allow state officials to inform the public about Alaska mining, the stringent permitting process already in place to govern mining, and to provide data on initiatives affecting those mining activities.

Independence Mine, Hatcher Pass, Alaska: An abandoned 19th century gold mine. Photo by Chris Boese (CC)

The Governor released the following statement:    » read more »

Prompt action to be taken to improve MSHA’s assessments process

02/04/2008, ARLINGTON, Va. — Richard E. Stickler, acting assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, today announced a comprehensive plan to ensure that fines are assessed for all safety and health violations issued by MSHA's coal and metal/nonmetal enforcement personnel. MSHA recently discovered that while 99.6 percent of all citations since 1995 have been properly assessed, less than one half of one percent have gone unassessed over this period of time.    » read more »

Helena, MT - 01/15/2008 - In the face of rising cleanup costs and an increase in mining claims in Montana, public officials, tribal leadership, sportsmen and ranchers today called on Senator Jon Tester and Senator Max Baucus, to reform the 135-year-old law that governs the mining of gold, uranium and other hardrock minerals on federal lands in Montana and other western states.    » read more »

January 15, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in anticipation of the House of Representatives taking up the Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act this week.    » read more »

Albuquerque, NM - 01/10/2008 - In the face of a dramatic increases in new mining claims in New Mexico, state and county officials called on Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici, leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to reform the 135-year-old law that governs the mining of gold, uranium and other hardrock minerals on federal lands in New Mexico and other western states.    » read more »