coal mining

Kentucky Receives $40 Million to Combat Coal Mining Hazards

Associated Press — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 13:07:44 +0000

The Office of Surface Mining has awarded Kentucky a $40 million grant to eliminate environmental hazards caused by past coal mining.

The money will go to the Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands

The grants go to 28 coal-producing states annually. They're funded by a fee on mined coal and are intended to repair unstable slopes, eliminate acid mine drainage and restore damaged water supplies.

Kentucky Natural Resources Commissioner Steve Hohmann said the grant money has been used in past years to close mine shafts and portals, put out mine fires, eliminate dangerous highwalls and subsidence and to provide drinking water to residents in mining communities.

Western Kentucky Miners Join Protest of Coal Company's Bankruptcy

Lisa Autry and Associated Press — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:23:19 +0000

Union-backed coal miners in Kentucky and surrounding states are protesting a coal company’s bankruptcy proceedings they say jeopardizes pension and health care benefits for some 20-thousand retirees and dependents. Miners were picketing Wednesday outside Peabody Energy’s headquarters in St. Louis.

Two charter buses bound for St. Louis left early Wednesday morning from western Kentucky to join the protest led by the United Mine Workers of Amercia.

Peabody Energy is one of the nation’s largest coal companies and one of the companies the union accuses of orchestrating business deals that bankrupted Patriot Coal.

Expert: Kentucky Earthquake Not Due to Mining

Associated Press — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:37:20 +0000

A University of Kentucky geologist says the 4.3 magnitude earthquake that shook eastern Kentucky over the weekend was too deep to be induced by the region's underground mining activity.

Daviess County Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Rezoning of Land for Coal Mining

Kevin Willis — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:43:35 +0000

Five Daviess County residents have filed a lawsuit over a recent decision to allow coal mining on nearly 700 acres of land. The suit targets Daviess County Fiscal Court, the Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission, and Western Kentucky Minerals.

Daviess County Leaders Give the Go-Ahead for Further Coal Mining

Kevin Willis — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 01:29:49 +0000

Daviess County Fiscal Court has voted to allow a company's request to rezone 700 acres of land for coal mining. However, both supporters and opponents of the move say the issue isn't settled yet.