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Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania-based producer announced the idling of its Twin Branch surface operation in southern West Virginia, which resulted in 88 layoffs. That idle is also temporary and due to the unseasonable weather trend. A labama Mine to Close, 170 Workers Cut Alabama operator Jesse Creek Mining has announced the clo- sure of its operation near Montevallo, Shelby County, and the furlough of about 170 employees, citing an "increasingly diffi- cult coal market." The company, based in Alabaster, said recently that Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act letters have already been issued. "Predominantly, pricing in the last month or so is what made the market so difficult," CFO Tony Bogolin said, adding that it is assisting those impacted by the closure with job search resources. Jesse Creek CEO Scott Spears concurred, noting that the company is committed to minimizing the impact of the deci- sion for all involved. "We intend to do all that we can to assist the employees with their transition and to provide outplacement services." Neither indicated if the closure is permanent, or if a mainte- nance crew will remain on-site. According to federal data, just one Jesse Creek facility, the Piney Woods preparation plant, is currently active. Blackhawk Mining Cuts 146 Workers Blackhawk Mining's Panther Creek Mining has issued Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act let- ters to nearly 150 miners at its Panther Creek complex in Kanawha County, West Virginia, ahead of its plan to idle operations. The notices were given to the impacted workers on January 11; all terminations from the total closure of the Winchester underground mine and Tom's Fork preparation plant and load- out are expected to come over a two-week period beginning March 11. Other operations within Panther Creek will continue as normal. According to local news station WSAZ, the producer also has reportedly issued notices to another 80 employees at the Hamden Coal complex, specifically the No. 2 underground mine and the Hamden prep facility in Logan and Mingo counties. Kentucky-based Blackhawk has cited market conditions for the decision. The mine was one the company purchased in 2015 from an asset auction of bankrupt Patriot Coal, which filed for Chapter 11 protection last May. Westmoreland Cutting 95 Workers in North Dakota W e s t m o r e l a n d C o a l s u b s i d i a r y D a k o t a W e s t m o r e l a n d i s reportedly cutting nearly 100 workers from its payroll begin- ning in March due to the loss of one of its power generation customers. According to the Bismarck Tribune, Westmoreland issued a notice to the city of Beulah that the cuts will com- mence in early March and should be completed by the end of April. Citing Dakota Westmoreland President Jody Mann, the layoffs will be phased: 10 workers on March 10, 46 on March 18 and the final 39 on April 30. "We sincerely regret this layoff has become necessary," he added. The mine's power customer, the nearby Coyote Station power plant, will begin to take its coal supply from new North American Coal complex Coyote Creek Mining in May. Coyote Creek, owned in part by Otter Tail Power and MDU, is located just southwest of the Dakota Westmoreland complex. Dakota Westmoreland, which had a workforce of 145 at its peak, will keep 40 miners on staff to mine the remaining coal — about 500,000 tons annually — that it is contracted to deliv- er to the MDU-Heskett Station through 2021. n e w s c o n t i n u e d 16 www.coalage.com February 2016 Leer, Holden 22 Top Winners in West Virginia Safety Arch Coal's Tygart Valley Leer complex and Phoenix Coal-Mac's Holden No. 22 surface mine have taken home the annual Eustace E. Frederick Milestones of Safety Award and the Barton B. Lay Jr. Award, respectively, from the West Virginia Coal Association (WVCA) for outstanding work- place safety performances in 2015. The operations, along with 36 other mines and service companies, received their honors at the 43 rd annual West Virginia Mining Symposium held in Charleston on January 24-25. Tops in the independent contractor category were Carter Machinery and Walker Machinery. The Mountaineer Guardian Awards are presented every year to min- ing companies demonstrating a commitment to safety standards. They are chosen by nominations made by West Virginia Office of Mine Health Safety and Training inspectors. Also at the symposium, Wolf Run Mining in Barbour County earned the Greenlands Award for outstanding reclamation, along with Coal- Mac's Phoenix No. 1 surface mine, which was bestowed the Forestry Reclamation Award. The Phoenix No. 4 surface mine claimed the year's Good Neighbor Award for its work with local communities. Eleven other companies also were recognized for their environmental commitments. WVCA officials applauded the companies' efforts at two luncheons held during the conference, which convened at the Charleston Civic Center. "Our member companies strive each day to provide their employees with the safest possibly workplace," association senior vice president Chris Hamilton said of the safety award winners. "They have set a standard with their focus on reducing workplace injuries and getting everyone home at the end of their shifts. We applaud their hard work and dedication to this, our most important responsibility." Association president Bill Raney also congratulated those who had earned award for responsible reclamation. "Each of these companies goes far beyond what is required to restore former mine lands," he said. "We always say coal miners are the real environmentalists. They don't just talk about doing something…they go out and do it. They do it because this is their home." 2 0 1 6 A W A R D S %