The Charleston Gazette - Special Reports

4th Circuit rejects further delay in Aracoma fire case

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected a government effort to further delay consideration of a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Labor over lax enforcement of mine safety laws at a Massey Energy operation where two miners die...

McKinley: New coal-ash bill tackles EPA concerns

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:20:38 -0400

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- For two years, one of the two professional engineers in Congress has pushed a bill to let states regulate fly ash from coal-fired power plants, a move U.S. Rep. David McKinley says would benefit coal and power companies and the con...

Climate change scientists, deniers clash in W.Va.

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Thu, 30 May 2013 23:45:00 -0400

FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- A Republican congressman sought common ground in the climate change debate Thursday but found the same clash of science and ideology that paralyzes Washington had followed him to West Virginia, a state long built on fossil fuel p...

FirstEnergy continues defending plant deal to PSC

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 30 May 2013 17:21:57 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- FirstEnergy officials on Thursday continued to defend their proposal to transfer ownership of a Harrison County coal-fired power plant to a West Virginia subsidiary, in the face of widespread opposition to the $1.1 billion deal. W...

FirstEnergy defends $1 billion plant deal as PSC continues hearing

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 30 May 2013 22:48:26 -0400

Sentencing delayed for Massey official

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 30 May 2013 10:29:26 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal judge has delayed the sentencing of a former Massey Energy official who pleaded guilty to mine safety violations and is cooperating in the criminal investigation of the Upper Big Branch Min...

PSC starts hearing on FirstEnergy plant transfer

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 29 May 2013 09:37:06 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As the state Public Service Commission began formal hearings on the case, senior citizens, consumer advocates and clean-energy activists turned out Wednesday to oppose FirstEnergys effort to transfer ownership of a major coal-fired...

New lawsuits target mountaintop removal landowners

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:57:07 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia environmental groups have renewed a legal effort that targets the landowners of former mountaintop removal operations that continue to pollute state streams. Lawyers for the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, t...

Report calls for more research on gas drilling, greenhouse emissions

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 25 May 2013 23:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Much more research is needed to determine the extent that greenhouse emissions leak from the processes used to drill for, produce and distribute natural gas, according to a new report that examines the most recent science on the issue....

Tomblin, Morrisey seek to block EPA on emissions

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:21:53 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey this week sought to have their say in an effort to get the U.S. Supreme Court to block federal regulations aimed at curbing global warming. On Friday, Tomblin and Morri...

Manchin helps broker chemical safety measure

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:20:07 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Lawmakers in Washington have reached agreement on a potential compromise to reform the way the nation regulates toxic chemicals, and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is being credited with helping to forge the bipartisan deal. The bill ...

Alpha cited in November 2012 mine death

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 18 May 2013 23:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Alpha Natural Resources created an "imminent danger" to miners when it used mobile equipment that had been modified in a way that limited the visibility of underground miners, state inspectors have alleged. The state Office ...

UBB findings indicate resurgence of black lung

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:32:55 -0400

Read the report CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A new and more detailed analysis has confirmed that most of the miners killed in the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster suffered from blac...

Opposition building to FirstEnergy power plant deal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:04:49 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- With a Public Service Commission hearing now less than two weeks away, critics are flooding the commission with arguments against Ohio-based-FirstEnergys proposal to transfer its Harrison Power Station to a West Virginia subsidiary. P...

4th Circuit upholds Alpha mine permit decision

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:43:06 -0400

Read the ruling here.CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal appeals court has upheld a decision that cleared the way for a Clean Water Act permit needed for a new mountaintop removal mine in Loga...

Regions coal industry faces huge drop, report says

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:36:41 -0400

Editorial: Coal down, gas up CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal production in Southern West Virginia and the rest of central Appalachia will continue to plummet over the next 30 years, ac...

Despite urgency, Obama black lung rule remains stalled

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 11 May 2013 23:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Top researchers are warning of an increased "sense of urgency" to combat black lung, but the Obama administration is saying little about any progress finalizing a rule it proposed more than 2 1/2 years ago to reduce exposure ...

Broadband audit to probe communication towers

ericeyre@wvgazette.com (Eric Eyre) — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Legislative Auditors Office has widened its review of the states use of $126.3 million in federal stimulus funds to expand high-speed Internet. After revealing in February that the state wasted millions of doll...

Groups seek EPA mountaintop removal rule

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:00:00 -0400

Read the petition http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/ CHARLESTON, ...

Were headed in the right direction

katelong@wvgazette.com (Kate Long) — Sat, 04 May 2013 23:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In Parkersburg, nurse practitioner Amy Edy volunteers countless hours to set up childrens runs for the River City Runners and Walkers. "Im so conscious, in my...

Will child obesity keep dropping.

katelong@wvgazette.com (Kate Long) — Sat, 04 May 2013 23:45:00 -0400

This is the final installment of this series. During the summer, we will be collecting a list of effective community healthy-living efforts. If you think your community is doing something noteworthy to prevent diabetes/obesity, tell us ...

Miner charged with faking foremans license

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:10:40 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Bluefield coal miner was charged this week with faking a foremans certification when he performed safety checks at four Southern West Virginia mining operations over an 18-month period, court records show. Craig Belcher, 36, was cha...

Hearing begins on Patriots bid to cut benefits

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:01:45 -0400
By Jim Suhr ST. LOUIS -- A long-awaited bankruptcy hearing began Monday in which a St. Louis-based coal company insists it must significantly cut thousands of retirees health-care and pension benefits or risk liquidation -- a claim tha...

EPA methane report further divides fracking camps

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:47:35 -0400
PITTSBURGH -- The Environmental Protection Agency has dramatically lowered its estimate of how much of a potent heat-trapping gas leaks during natural gas production, in a shift with major implications for a debate that has divided environmentalists...

EPA C8 guidelines too weak, study says

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 23:45:00 -0400
Read the study CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Federal government health advisories for drinking water contaminated with C8 may be far too weak, according to a new Harvard University study that attempts...

Leaked OSM study outlines slurry dam concerns

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:39:05 -0400
Read more on Coal Tattoo:

Appeals court backs EPAs veto of Spruce Mine

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:49:26 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was clearly within its legal authority when it rejected a permit for one of the largest mountaintop removal mines in West Virginia history, a panel of three federal appeals court judges

Bill seeks independent review of mining health impacts

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:41:04 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Legislation pending in Congress would impose a fee on coal companies that engage in mountaintop removal to fund a broad government study of the practices effects on the health of coalfield residents. Supporters said Tuesday th...

Court questions mining permits

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal appeals court has criticized a streamlined permit process used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, adding to the questions about the way the agency reviews new mountaintop removal mining proposals. The 6th U.S. Circuit Co...

Coal-backed research takes on mining health studies

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 23:45:00 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Scientists backed by a $15 million industry-funded research project are picking apart -- and trying to disprove -- a series of studies that found coalfield residents near mountaintop-removal mining operations face greater risks of seri...

EPA set to align rules on coal plant water, ash disposal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:16:58 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administration said Friday it plans to "align" a long-awaited rule on the disposal of toxic ash from coal-fired power plants with another overdue proposal that aims to reduce water pollution from electrical genera...

UBB criminal probe may target ex-Massey executives

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:05:38 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Former Massey Energy executives and board members "may be, or may become" targets in the ongoing federal criminal investigation of the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, prosecutors said in court documents filed this week....

Study outlines overlooked impacts of mountaintop removal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:04:36 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Mountaintop removal is having frequently overlooked impacts on forests, biodiversity, climate and public health, and an updated federal review is needed to more fully examine those issues, according to a new study by government and uni...

More strip-mine dust controls needed, researchers say

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:16:14 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal operators can and should take more aggressive steps to reduce dust emissions from blasting and heavy equipment at mountaintop removal mines, according to new studies released this week as part of a controversial industry-funded re...

EPA defends water quality guidance in appeal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:27:27 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administration argued Tuesday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was right when it issued new water quality guidance intended to reduce the damage to streams and aquatic life from mountaintop removal mining. Depar...

UBB foreman reaches deal with state

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:29:20 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A lower-level foreman from Massey Energys Upper Big Branch Mine has reached an agreement with West Virginia regulators and will voluntarily give up his foremans license for three years, according to state records made public Tuesday. ...

Broadband council forbidden to talk about project

ericeyre@wvgazette.com (Eric Eyre) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia Broadband Deployment Council members want to talk about the biggest broadband development project in state history, but the governors office wont allow it. Last week, council member Lee Fisher asked whether the gove...

Researchers hear results of industry-backed mining study

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:46:43 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Researchers from universities around the region gathered at the Charleston Marriott this week to learn about new ways to dry out coal slurry, debate whether focusing on mining is a good long-term economic strategy, and consider new r...

Were hoping. Were moving

katelong@wvgazette.com (Kate Long) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:00:00 -0400
To read more of "The Shape Were In" series:

Tomblin to overhaul purchasing rules, despite death of reform bill

ericeyre@wvgazette.com (Eric Eyre) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 23:45:00 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- House of Delegates members have killed Gov. Earl Ray Tomblins purchasing-reform bill that would have outlawed a controversial bidding practice that was used to buy high-capacity Internet routers for $24 million. Tomblin aides sai...

EPA nominee says Obama not out to destroy coal

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:55:37 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administration is not out to destroy the coal industry, the presidents nominee to run the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday.During a confirmation hearing, would-be EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy tried to ass...

Environmentalists say war on coal a fabrication

(Vicki Smith) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:00:00 -0400
U.S. coal mining employment the past two years was the highest its been in 15 years, despite claims that President Barack Obama is waging war on the industry, an environmental group that studied federal data said Tuesday.Appalachian Voices also said th...

Obama again seeks reforms in mine cleanup program

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:10:21 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- President Obama is, for the fifth time, asking Congress to stop diverting money intended for cleaning up abandoned coal mines to states that have already reclaimed all of their old mine sites. The Obama proposal is again included in t...

Study finds greater risk to coal plants

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:00:00 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal-fired power plants around the country may face much greater financial risks than previously projected from a combination of low natural gas prices and stronger air quality rules, according to a new Duke University study. The econ...

Coal-backed studies evoke controversy

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 23:30:00 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A two-year-old, $15 million coal industry project to fund research on minings health, environmental and economic impacts is beginning to produce results. New papers have been published, conference presentations are being delivered, and...

Some call for action on Upper Big Branch anniversary

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:27:13 -0400
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As West Virginians marked the third anniversary of the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster Friday, some political leaders renewed their calls for tougher mine-safety legislation. "It is not enough merely to think back, to mourn, and t...