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Those seeking a gauge of how coal is doing in the nation's second-largest pro- ducing state need look no further than an annual winter staple, the West Virginia Coal Association's mining symposium in the state's capitol city of Charleston, which this year spotlighted safety, pro- duction, politics and more. The 41 st convening of the well-attended event included 58 presenters and an esti- mated 700 attendees; among the top attractions to the event were keynote speakers Robert E. Murray, founder and president of Murray Energy, former state Gov. and current state Sen. Joe Manchin, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Joseph Main, MSHA Director Kevin Stricklin and others. The outspoken Murray held nothing back in his nearly 30-minute oration from the Charleston Civic Center, his finger pointed squarely at the Obama Administration and what its actions have done to the industry in West Virginia and across the U.S. Fresh off of his $3.5 billion acquisition of five longwall mines in the state under a deal first inked with CONSOL Energy in late 2013, which increased his payroll to more than 7,000 and will up his annual production from 30 million tons to more than 60 million tons, Murray said more cuts will still be felt — especially in Central Appalachia, where production is already down about 43% from 2008. "I don't think there is any question we will continue to see decreases in employ- m e n t i n t h e c o a l i n d u s t r y i n W e s t V i r g i n i a a s a r e s u l t o f t h e a c t i o n s o f P r e s i d e n t B a r a c k O b a m a , h i s r a d i c a l appointees — mostly from the environ- mental movements — and his political supporters," he said. "I look for the 43% to increase as more and more regulations are enacted by the Obama administration. He has so far closed 392 coal-fired power plants in the United States." "Thousands of jobs…brutally stamped out," he said, going on to call the Environ- mental Protection Agency's (EPA) actions "unjustified…illegal [and] mean-spirited." The 40-plus-year mining industry vet- eran has long said that he knows his employees well, and from the top of the venue's podium Murray looked directly at the audience and pointedly said that this issue was no different, calling it a "human issue" to him. "I know the names of the miners whose jobs…and family livelihoods are being destroyed," he said. "If they own anything, it's their homes…when the jobs are eliminated in their communities, there is no one to sell their homes to. These are people who want to work in honor and dignity and they're being denied that. "These are my employees. This is not the America that I cherish," he said. He spoke with nothing but positive words for CONSOL Energy, the company from which he just purchased the Loveridge, Shoemaker, Robinson Run, McElroy and Blacksville longwall opera- tions in the northern region of the state. "CONSOL is a wonderful company. I think they've done a very good job with their emphasis on safety," he said. "Our approach has the same emphasis but it's different. We believe in extensive task training and discipline, more so than additional rules. If you get yourself hurt, you will be disciplined because we don't want anybody hurt," Murray said. However, on the other side of the indus- try's issues, he again returned to federal regulatory efforts to cut the 2 milligram (mg) dust standard at the face in half to 1 mg, which he responded was not possible, and said that the industry should be "scared to death" for what's to come. "I am," he said. "[But] I am not giving up…nor should you." w vc a r o u n d u p B Y D O N N A S C H M I D T 40 www.coalage.com February 2014 Balancing Appalachian Challenges, Opportunities West Virginia Coal Association symposium offers barometer of current industry Murray Energy Corp. founder and President Robert E. Murray. CA_pg40-43_V3_CA_pg46-47 2/12/14 2:15 PM Page 40