The entire membership of the West Virginia Coal Association and Friends of Coal from throughout West Virginia extend their deepest sympathies and support to the families of those who lost their lives in yesterday’s accident at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Raleigh County.
We offer our most sincere thoughts and prayers to the families, and all those at Massey Energy as well as everyone touched by the events at the Upper Big Branch, and we stand ready to assist in any way possible while maintaining our fervent hope the remaining miners are successfully rescued.
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR MINGO LOGAN COAL Co.’s SUIT AGAINST EPA
Saturday, 03 April 2010 10:11
EPA action is reckless and arbitrary, shows disregard of impact on people and the economy
CHARLESTON – The West Virginia Coal Association supports today’s decision by Mingo Logan Coal Company to file suit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency over its announcement of intent to revoke the permit for the company’s Spruce #1 surface mine in Logan County.
“This decision by EPA is reckless and arbitrary,” said West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney. “It establishes a very dangerous precedent in that it reneges on an already approved permit, something that has never been done previously. In doing so it brings into question the reliability of the entire permitting process and shows an arrogant disregard for the impacts this will have on the state’s economy and its people. We fully support Mingo Logan’s actions to compel EPA to respect the law and follow its own regulations.”
The goal of this project is to put a human face on the energy issue by creating a collection of life-size photographs of American coal miners, suitable for museum exhibition. These monumental portraits reveal the human essence of the coal industry and their exhibition will celebrate and honor these men and women as contemporary American heroes.
These photographs are life-size portraits from the tops of the miners helmets to the tips of their boots. Between 30 and 40 photos are taken in a grid, life-size on 8 x 10 inch film covering the entire person. Those negatives are then contact printed and assembled to create a full size person. The quality is extraordinary, as this is ultimate photographic quality the contact print. Every hair and every thread is as clear as in real life. Most of the portraits are shot in black & white and mounted on 16 gauge hot rolled steel sheets. The final pieces are almost 7 feet tall.
Source: Thorney Lieberman
FOC Workign with Hatfield-McCoy Trail System
Friday, 12 March 2010 00:00
The Friends of Coal are working with the representatives of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System to tell the story of the role the coal industry played in the creation of the hugely popular trail system and the role it continues to play as the system expands across southern West Virginia. Jeff Lusk, director of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, says without the coal industry much of the trail would not be possible and that many of the existing trails incorporate former mine land and access roads used by the industry while mining was occurring. We will keep you updated as the planning continues.
