The Charleston Gazette - Mining the Mountains

Report details coals assault on human health

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:34:06 -0500

Read more in Coal TattooCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal pollution is assaulting human health through impacts on workers, residents near mining operations and power plants, and the environm...

OSM promises tougher strip-mine inspections

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:16:24 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administration on Wednesday announced plans to beef up federal strip-mining inspections and reviews of mining permits issued by state regulators like West Virginias Department of Environmental Protection. Interior Departme...

Massey cited for Coal River Mountain blasting

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Massey Energy subsidiary has been cited for blasting violations at a mountaintop removal mine on Coal River Mountain, a site where environmental groups have campaigned to put a wind energy facility instead of a strip mine. S...

Carbon storage. Not under my house

(The Associated Press) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500

BARENDRECHT, Netherlands -- The people of this small Dutch town are not against pumping tons of carbon dioxide into the ground to fight global warming.They just wish it wasnt right beneath their houses. "Who wants to live in Barendrecht if one of thes...

W.Va. leaders seek coal answers from White House

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:41:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia political leaders promised Tuesday to speak "with one voice" to clarify the Obama administrations proposals to more strictly regulate mountaintop removal coal mining. Gov. Joe Manchin, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, and...

Senate confirms Pa. regulator to head OSM unit

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:48:34 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed a Pennsylvania state regulator as the Obama administrations director for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Joseph Pizarchik was confirmed by unanimous consent, apparently...

DEP finds problems at W.Va.s coal-ash dams

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:55:54 -0500

Read the report here. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Nearly two-third...

Coal in good shape, companies say

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:45:00 -0500

Read more in Coal TattooCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Despite complaints from industry lobbyists and coalfield politicians about an impending permit crisis, most major Appalachian coal producers...

U.S. starting over on buffer zone mining rule

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:55:47 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administration is starting over in its re-examination of a key mountaintop-removal mining regulation. A preliminary public comment period on the matter will push back any proposed changes in the law until at least early ...

Massey begins blasting on Coal River Mountain

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:31:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Massey Energy has begun blasting at its Bee Tree Surface Mine, a Coal River Mountain strip-mine operation environmentalists had promoted as a potential wind-energy production site and a symbol of their campaign against mountaintop ...

The great race: Coal vs. Climate

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:45:00 -0400

NEW HAVEN, W.Va. -- Later this week, American Electric Power will begin pumping a small stream of carbon dioxide from its Mountaineer Power Plant deep under the bottomland along the Ohio River in Mason County.AEP hopes the gas stays there. The comp...

OSM report says DEP needs to beef up spill enforcement

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:27:50 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Blackwater spills from West Virginias coal industry are on the decline, but Coal Tattoo: CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administration moved a step closer on Friday...

Mining limits wont kill economy, Sierra Club study says

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:16:38 -0400

Read more in Coal TattooCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Limits on mountaintop removal coal mining wont end affordable electricity and could in the long run help improve the economy of the Appalachia...

Tests question air quality at Marsh Fork school

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:19:13 -0400

Read more in Coal TattooCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Students at Marsh Fork Elementary School are at a greater risk of getting sick because of high levels of coal dust from a Massey Energy proces...

Rahall, Jay join call for Massey to fund new school

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:34:08 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As a group of citizens ranging in age from 50 to 83 began a march against mountaintop removal Thursday, two more West Virginia political le...

Byrd blasts Massey arrogance over Marsh Fork school

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:53:11 -0400

Massey surprised at criticism Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Sen. Robert C. Byrd on Wednesday b...

EPA finalizes list of 79 mine permits for closer reviews

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:44:44 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials have referred 79 pending coal-mine permits for more detailed reviews by EPA water quality e...

30-mile fish kill at Dunkard Creek

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Three weeks ago, fish started dying in Dunkard Creek, a scenic stream that winds along the West Virginia-Pennsylvania border in Monongalia County.

...

EPA announces major science review of mountaintop removal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:43:29 -0400

Check out Ken Wards blog, Coal Tatoo, here. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administration is quietl...

Huffman defends DEP, says agency not trying to protect coal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:48:14 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Environmental Protection Secretary Randy Huffman on Monday defended his agencys policing of the mining industry after a nation...

EPA to scrutinize dozens of mining permits

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:36:18 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Dozens of coal-mining permits proposed across Appalachia ne...

EPA moves to block W.Va.s largest mining permit

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:07:44 -0400

Read more in Coal TattooCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Citing "clear evidence" of likely environmental damage, the Obama administration has moved toward revoking the largest mountai...

Protesters in trees at Massey mine site

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:50:04 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two mountaintop-removal opponents took to the trees of Raleigh County on Tuesday, hoping to shut down a Massey Energy operati...

DEP biologist criticizes Huffmans testimony to Congress

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:43:19 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A state Department of Environmental Protection biologist has warned that DEP Secretary Randy Huffman misled Congress about the damage being done by mountaintop-removal coal mining, here.CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection biologist has warned that DEP Secretary Randy Huffman misled Congress ab...

Mingo judge tossed from slurry case

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:14:54 -0400

Read the decision: CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The state Supreme Court has ordered a Mingo County judge with ties to Massey Energy to step down from hearing a major coal-slurry pollution case again...

Coal industry launches another PR campaign

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:53:34 -0400

Read more in Coal TattooCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As its lobbying efforts in Washington face a congressional probe over faked letters to lawmakers, the coal industry is launching another publ...

Mine operators not restoring mountains, OSM report finds

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal operators in Southern West Virginia are not restoring large strip-mining sites to their "approximate original contour," despite a state policy change meant to require such reclamation, according to a previous...

Court rejects Obama efforts to reverse Bush mining changes

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:32:55 -0400

Read more at Coal TattooCHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal judge on Wednesday threw out a key part of a plan the Obama administration says would reduce the environmental impac...

Obama EPA approves another mountaintop removal mine

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:09:15 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administration late last week quietly approved one of six major mountaintop removal permits that were said to be undergoing clos...

Obamas OSM pick dodges questions on mountaintop removal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:59:30 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo: CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- President Obamas choice to be the nations top strip-mi...

High-profile mountaintop removal operation to close, costing 300 jobs

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:49:15 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Patriot Coal Corp. officials confirmed Monday that they will stop coal production at their Samples Mine near Cabin Creek, putting mor...

Mingo judge urged to step down from Massey case

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:28:51 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Mingo County judge overseeing a major pollution lawsuit against Massey Energy socializes "with some frequency" with Massey President Don Blankenship and should step down from the case, lawyers for hundreds of area resid...

DEPs regulation of slurry injection criticized

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:35:23 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coalfield citizens on Wednesday harshly criticized the state Department of Environmental Protections efforts to study and regulate the underground i...

Feds: DEP does not properly oversee mining flood prevention

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:54:40 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia regulators and coal operators have not properly implemented state rules meant to keep strip mining from contributing to flooding during heavy rains over narrow mountain hollows, according to a new federal report.Mine ...

Four W.Va. sites on high-hazard coal-ash dam list

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:37:35 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo.CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Four coal-ash impoundments in West Virginia -- including one near the John Amos Power Plant -- are among the 44 &...

Daryl Hannah, scientist among 30 arrested at W.Va. mine protest

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:45:15 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo SUNDIAL, W.Va. -- More than 30 people -- including actress Daryl Hannah and NASA climate scientist James Hansen -- were arrested T...

Coals costs outweigh benefits, WVU study finds

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:00:00 -0400

Click here to read the study. Click here to read more in Coal Tattoo. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal mi...

14 arrested in latest Massey protest

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:01:23 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo : http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/ CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Fourteen people were arrested Thursday after an a...

DEP wont expand slurry injection moratorium

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:52:24 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo.CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Environmental Protection Secretary Randy Huffman said Wednesday his agency is continuing to allow coal slurry to be injec...

EPA asked to ID high hazard coal-ash dams

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:48:57 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo.CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A leading Democratic senator on Friday called on the Obama administration to publicly identify 44 coal-ash impoundments around th...

Obama mining plan draws criticism from both sides

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:17:20 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo Read the Obama plan CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Obama administration o...

W.Va. high court OKs Massey silo near elementary school

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:55:13 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Massey Energy can build a new coal silo next to a Raleigh County elementary school, despite permit maps that show the construction site is outside the companys mining boundary, according to a Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The state Surface Mine Board on Tuesday upheld the renewal of a CONSOL Energy strip mine permit where company officials had not fixed rec...

Judge orders halt to mining protests

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:08:12 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Raleigh County judge has issued a preliminary injunction to block anti-mountaintop removal activists from further peaceful ...

Judge limits Massey protesters legal arguments

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:10:01 -0400

DEP issues moratorium on slurry injection

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:06:22 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo. Read the DEP study. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- State regulators on Thursday issued a moratorium on ...

Court wont rehear mountaintop-removal case

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:36:53 -0400

Read more in Coal Tattoo Read the ruling CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal appeals court dec...

Mines cited in Mingo flooding

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:17:38 -0400

For Web Was this story webbed earlier today.: NORead more in Coal Tattoo CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two mining operations in Mingo County have been cited by state inspectors for contr...