Hundreds of miners have been laid off this week following the closure of the Pinnacle mine in Wyoming County, and the news has left some considering getting out of the industry altogether. Bobby Bowman, president of the United Mine Workers of America chapter representing the employees, said the layoffs would […]
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ORSANCO Punts on Decision to Eliminate Water Quality Standards for the Ohio River
A multi-state commission charged with protecting the Ohio River decided Thursday to postpone a decision to dramatically alter pollution controls. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, or ORSANCO, has been considering a proposal that would reduce its oversight of water pollution control standards along the Ohio River. The proposal, […]
Read MoreAppalachia Could Get a Giant Solar Farm, If Ohio Regulators Approve
AEP’s plan would bring jobs to an impoverished region, but its structure would break the established regulatory mold in a state that has pushed back on renewables. Appalachian Ohio, a region hurt by the decline of coal, may become home to one of the largest solar projects east of the […]
Read More“Jobs Alliance,” Funded by Trump Backer, Tries to Block Gas Plants That Would Bring Jobs to West Virginia
Murray Energy, one of the nation’s largest coal producers, is paying for lawyers trying to block natural gas plants that would support a growing industry. This article was produced in partnership with the Charleston Gazette-Mail, which is a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. Three years ago, a group […]
Read MoreSafer Direction? Top Mine Regulator Addresses Concerns About Dust And Deaths In Coal
As President Trump attempts to revive the struggling coal industry, the administration’s top regulator for mine safety used a recent lecture at West Virginia University to lay out his priorities for the agency charged with keeping miners safe. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health David Zatezalo outlined […]
Read MoreOrphan Wells: States Wrestle With Soaring Costs For Oil & Gas Industry Mess
William Suan is no stranger to the problems abandoned oil and gas wells can cause. “It’s just an eyesore,” he said, standing inside a barn on his cattle ranch near Lost Creek, West Virginia. “I had to fence one off because it’s leaking now.” There are five inactive wells on […]
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