Wednesday, April 22, 2015

DEP seeks information on prep plant materials

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection wants to know what products coal operators are using in their preparation plant process and at what levels.   Acting Director of the agency’s Division of Mining and Reclamation Harold Ward issued an order last week to all 90 prep plants in West Virginia for the information and gave them sixty days to produce the list.
“We are requiring them to identify all possible chemical components of the products they use in processing that may turn up in the discharge to the streams,” said DEP Spokesperson Kelly Gillenwater.
The state already requires reporting of the chemicals used, but many of those chemicals already have limits built into the mining permit.  Gillenwater said some of the products fall outside the realm of those chemicals identified in the permits.  However, they shouldn’t be present at all in the effluent if they are being used properly.
“These products are supposed to be used in very small quantities.  They are actually drip fed into the process,” she said. “If they are used correctly we shouldn’t actually see any detectable limits of that in the discharge into the streams.”
However, there is evidence at least in sporadic cases those materials are turning up in the water.  Last year, following the Freedom Industries chemical spill along with another accidental release of MCHM into the Kanawha River at another location, DEP tested a number of the discharges at coal preparation facilities around the state.
“Last year we tested all of the discharge outlets at all of the coal prep plants and there were some hits,” Gillenwater said. “There were a handful of detectable materials found in the effluent.”

Gillenwater said it has always been the goal of DEP to protect West Virginia streams, but admitted after the Freedom Incident there has been a renewed look at better protecting water quality in the state.

DOH getting some help with storm damage

The state Department of Transportation is getting some help to pay for road damage caused by a winter storm that occurred in March.
The Federal Highway Administration announced Tuesday the awarding of a $5 million grant.
The storms, which happened March 3-6, caused highways to be flooded and damaged by mud and rock slides.
West Virginia Third District Congressman Evan Jenkins said roads throughout his district were impacted.

“I am pleased that the state will receive much-needed federal funds to repair and rebuild roads and infrastructure damaged by floodwaters and mudslides. Through the combined efforts of our congressional delegation and the governor, we were able to secure these funds and ensure better roads for West Virginians,” Jenkins said in a new release from his office.

Murray Energy announces additional layoffs

Murray Energy announced Tuesday the temporary shutdown of its Ohio County Coal Company mine in West Virginia’s northern panhandle.
The layoffs will affect 383 hourly employees, the company said.

Murray and its subsidiaries previously laid off more than 600 miners in recent weeks mainly because of stockpile levels. High waters on the Ohio River reportedly are hindering coal shipments.

Most counties show increase in unemployment in latest numbers

Unemployment rates increased in 27 of the state’s 55 counties in March according to county-by-county information released Tuesday by WorkForce West Virginia.
The numbers show three counties, Calhoun (15.9), McDowell (15.4) and Roane (14.4), with jobless rates above 14 percent. While five counties, Cabell (6.0), Berkeley (5.9), Pendleton (5.8), Monongalia (5.0), and Jefferson (4.8), check in below six percent.
Jobless rates decreased in 17 counties in March and stayed the same in 11 other counties. The overall state jobless rate increased slightly from 7.6 percent to 7.7 percent.

Judge Affirms Kentucky Power’s Purchase of W.Va. Power Plant

(AP) - A judge has affirmed the right of Kentucky Power Company to purchase part of a West Virginia power plant.

The Associated Press reports the ruling in Franklin Circuit Court rejected an appeal filed by Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, which sought to overturn the approval of the state's Public Service Commission.

The order issued April 10 states the Public Service Commission acted within its authority in approving the 50 percent purchase of the coal-fired Mitchell Plant in Moundsville, West Virginia.

Kentucky Power chose to purchase the plant rather than the more expensive option of investing in an old generating unit to meet EPA regulations.


Kentucky Power President and COO Greg Pauley said the decision is good news for customers.

Alpha Natural Resources deficient on stock exchange

Local coal provider Alpha Natural Resources could soon be taken off the New York Stock Exchange.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Tomblin announces sale of nearly $134 million in bonds

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has announced the sale of nearly $134 million in State Road General Obligation refunding bonds, saving the state nearly $26 million in total interest payments.
The refunding bonds were sold as a competitive sale. Over $25 million of the savings will go toward the funding of capital road projects by the state Department of Transportation next year
Tomblin said in a statement that the sale shows a commitment to savings.
“Today’s bond sale is a testament to the hard work we’ve done over the past twenty years to get our financial house in order,” Tomblin said. “Our commitment to responsible financial policies is saving taxpayers millions of dollars and is a direct result of hard work we have done, and continue to do, to remain one of the most fiscally responsible states in the country.”

The bonds also received favorable ratings from various agencies.