2/11/2003

People turn out for pro-coal rally in Williamson

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. (AP) -- Coal trucks lined a city street where people gathered for a rally to support the coal industry.

Criticism of Massey Energy and the pending closure of Marrowbone Development Co. mines led vendors and other supporters to rally in support of coal, organizers of Monday's event said.

Last week a jury ordered a Massey subsidiary to pay residents of a Boone County town $473,000 in economic damages caused by coal dust falling on nearby homes, vehicles and other property.

Marrowbone Development Co. announced last month it would place three underground mines and one surface mine on permanent idle status, laying off 460 workers starting March 17.

Don Blankenship, chairman and chief executive officer of Massey, and Terry Blankenship, a representative of Marrowbone Development, attended the rally.

Gary Rash, owner and operator of East Equipment, said people need to realize how important coal is to southern West Virginia.

"In this area, without coal and Massey Energy, we have nothing,'' Rash said. "We need to make (the area) the heart of the billion dollar coalfield once again.''

Carl Kirk of Kirk Trucking said that though his business is strong now, he is worried about the future.

"What's going to affect us is the fact that we can't get new jobs. As we work them out, there are no new jobs.'' Kirk's company hauls coal for several Massey resource groups.

Williamson Mayor Charles Butch West attended the rally and was happy to see what he called a large turnout. The number of people who attended was not available Tuesday morning.

"We need to remind the people in Charleston where their money comes from,'' West said.

Former Matewan Mayor John Fullen said the rally should have taken place a long time ago. He said he would like to see rallies in other Mingo County towns like Matewan, Kermit and Gilbert.

This news story originally provided by Williamson Daily News

Chafin meets with DEP over coal permits

By TIM BOSTIC
WDN Editor

CHARLESTON Senate Majority Leader H. Truman Chafin (D-Mingo) yesterday met with acting DEP Director Stephanie R. Timmermeyer regarding the issuance. of coal mining permits that are presently pending before the office of environmental protection.

Chafin told the WDN from his office at the capitol, that he was joined by Mingo County businessman Carl Kirk, owner of Kirk Trucking and Andy Young from Young's Electric.

Director Timmermeyer reportedly assured Senator Chafin that as new acting director of the Department of Environmental Protection, she would give immediate attention to applications pending that affect southern West Virginia. Finance Chairman Walt Helmick (D-Pocahontas) also joined Senator Chafin at the Majority Leader's office for the discussions.

Chafin invited director Timmermeyer to visit Mingo County for a meeting with various coal officials and trucking executives who have an interest in pending permits. The Director agreed to be present at a luncheon as speaker after the first of March. Senator Chafin told the Daily News he would release details of the luncheon including the exact time and date in the near future.

The Senator said he insisted that top priority be given to permit applications, and listed, among others, permits now pending for Independence Coal Company, Elk Run Coal Company, Power Mountain Coal Company, Roads Fork Coal Company, Aracoma Coal Company, and Alex Energy.

Being frank in his comments to Director Timmermeyer, Sen. Chafin said he insisted that the West Virginia DEP have regulations that are no more stringent than Federal regulations and that both the department and director assign additional employees to review permit applications in order that the process may be expedited.

"The people of southern West Virginia who are directly dependent on coal, coal trucks, and the energy industry must have every immediate consideration for the benefit of southern West Virginia," said Chafin.

"The meeting was most important," the Senator remarked. He urges those invited to the upcoming luncheon with director Timmermeyer to participate, bring their information regarding pending permits with them for a question and answer session following the early March luncheon.

This news story originally provided by Williamson Daily News

Supporting Coal...Miners, truckers, vendors, operators gather in Williamson for coal rally

By LEIGH ANN WELLS
Sunday Editor

Teachers. Electricians. Truck drivers. Media members. They all gathered in the streets of Williamson last night and instead of complaining about coal dust, they were praying for it.

The large number of layoffs at various Massey Energy resource groups and the pending closure of Marrowbone Development pushed vendors and other supporters to stand up in support of coal.

The rally was organized "real quick, just so people could show their support for coal," said Bert Staton, on-air radio personality for WXCC radio.

The rally saw Second Avenue lined with rows of coal trucks and people from all walks of life holding signs and shouting support for the endangered livelihood of coal.

The rally was further bolstered by the debut of a song written by WXCC's Nolan "Country Cousin" Hall and recorded by Ernie Thacker, a former member of Ralph Stanley's band.

"What Would We Do If The Coal Stopped Burning?" a takeoff of Alan Jackson's popular 9/11 anthem "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?" is a song dedicated to everyone affected by the coal industry.

Thacker said Hall called him one day and asked him to record a demo of a song he had written. Thacker said they recorded the demo at the WXCC studios in William-son and cut it a week later.

"I hope this song will change the attitude that people have about the coal industry and help them understand better the way we live," Thacker said. "Coal is the most underrated resource we have. I hope it opens the right people's eyes."

Hall echoed Thacker's sentiment.

"If it weren't for coal, we wouldn't be broadcasting here tonight because we wouldn't have any electricity. This is not political. It's about our livelihood," Hall said on the air.

Hall said proceeds from the sale of record will go to a fund to benefit coal miners and their families. He said he and Thacker are "working on something big" and more details would be available at a later date.

Gary Rash, owner and operator of East Equipment and an organizer of the rally, said that people need to realize just how important coal is to our area.

"In this area, without coal and Massey Energy, we have nothing," Rash said. "We need to make (the area) the heart of the billion dollar coalfield once again.

"With unity from all parties on the local and state levels, it can be again," he added.

Both Don Blankenship, chairman and CEO of Massey, and Terry Blankenship, a representative of Marrowbone Develop-ment, were in attendance at the rally.

Rash said that Don Blankenship was glad to see that the general, local labor force had come out in support of coal.

Another organizer of the event, Carl Kirk of Kirk Trucking, said that though his business is strong now, he is worried about the future.

"What's going to affect us is the fact that we can't get new jobs. As we work them out, there are no new jobs."

Kirk's company hauls coal for several Massey resource groups.

Williamson Mayor Charles "Butch" West attended the rally and was happy to see the large turnout and hoped lawmakers would take notice.

"I think it's great," West said. "We need to remind the people in Charleston where their money comes from."

Former Matewan Mayor John Fullen said the rally should have taken place a long time ago. He urges more people to get involved and added that he would like to see rallies in other Mingo County towns like Matewan, Kermit and Gilbert.

Longtime Massey Member Linton Stump, who has served as president of several Massey resource groups, was joined by a large number of fellow Massey members who rallied in support of their jobs.

"I wish people would leave (the coal industry) alone and let us mine and prosper like we used to," Stump said.