Return to Top of Page

CONSOL ENERGY ACQUIRES NAMING RIGHTS
TO NEW PITTSBURGH ARENA

CONSOL Energy and the National Hockey League's (NHL) Pittsburgh Penguins have announced a 21-year deal for naming rights to the new Pittsburgh multi-purpose arena.

CONSOL Energy Center will be home to the Pittsburgh Penguins and is scheduled to open in time for the 2010-2011 NHL season. The facility will also serve as a centerpiece for year around entertainment in the region, including world class concerts, family shows, and a wide variety of other events.

"For more than 140 years, CONSOL Energy has been a part of the Tri-State Region's history," said J. Brett Harvey, President and CEO of CONSOL Energy. "We areproud to help write a new chapter in Pittsburgh's history by sponsoring this wonderful new facility."

A major partner of the organization for several years, CONSOL Energy is most commonly known by fans for its energizing "Power to the Penguins" video played prior to hockey games.

 

KENNECOTT CHARITABLE FOUNDATION DONATES TO LOCAL CHARITIES

Copperton, Utah – The Kennecott Utah Copper (KUC) Visitors Center Charitable Foundation donated $143,000 to support 92 local community charities in December. The Foundation is organized as a Kennecott non-profit entity giving funds exclusively for public welfare, community improvement and charitable purposes, which is limited to providing help to the underprivileged.

As part of the amount donated, the Copperton Lion's Club contributed $10,000 as the operator of the Bingham Canyon Mine Lion's Club gift shop. The Foundation raises money for local charities through tax-deductible entrance fees to the Bingham Canyon Mine Visitors Center. Since the inception of the charity fund in 1992, the Foundation has donated more than $2.1 million to local community charities and non-profit organizations, and hosted 2,697,400 visitors to the Bingham Canyon Mine Visitors Center. In 2008, the Visitors Center hosted 153,455 visitors. The Foundation giving is separate from the Kennecott Utah Companies corporate giving.

The Foundation touches the lives of people of all different ages and walks of life. This includes charities focusing on children, veterans, disabled, homeless and senior citizens throughout the state.

"Kennecott has provided a significant amount of support to Catholic Community Services throughout the years," said Kathryn Brussard, Development and Marketing Director, Catholic Community Services. "The contributions made through Kennecott's charitable foundation have supported numerous programs that have positively impacted and improved the lives of many in need."

"Kennecott has always had a strong commitment to local communities," said Ted Himebaugh, General Manager, Bingham Canyon Mine and Kennecott Utah Copper Visitors Center Charitable Foundation President. "One way we demonstrate our commitment is through the Foundation."

KUC's Bingham Canyon Mine Visitors Center is open to the public seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 1 to Oct. 31. Tax deductible admission fees for 2009 are $5 for passenger vehicles, $25 for mini tour buses and $50 for tour buses. There is no admission charge for school buses, veterans' group tours, boy scouts in uniform, and vans from county operated senior citizen centers.

Return to Top of Page

2009 UTAH LEGISLATURE

The 58th Utah legislature 2009 General Session will begin on Monday, January 26, 2009. The session will end at midnight on March 12, 2009.

UMA will be following a variety of bills this year. You can see what we are following and monitor the progress on any bill by accessing the legislative section of the UMA Website. The UMA legislative website address is: http://www.utahmining.org/legislation.html. The UMA 2009 Legislative Directory, in pdf format, is also available at the same website address for download.

The UMA Legislative and Tax Committee will meet each Monday morning throughout the session to evaluate bills and help formulate policy positions. If you have an interest in a bill and would like to bring it to the attention of this committee, please let us know here at UMA and we can get it to the committee chairman.

If you have need for any additional information on a particular bill, please let us know and we will be happy to provide that for you. Please give us a call at 801-364-1874 or email mining@xmission.com

 

TO NO ONE'S SURPRISE, RAHALL REINTRODUCES MINING LAW REFORM
(Source: Dorothy Kosich, Mineweb, 1/28/09)

RENO, NV - U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall of West Virginia has reintroduced legislation to reform the 1872 Mining Law.

Rahall's bill easily won the approval of the House during the last congressional session, but was not approved in the Senate.

The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009 (HR 269) is nearly identical to the previous bill approved by the House in 2007. It includes an 8% gross royalty on production from future mines on public lands and a 4% gross royalty from mines now operating on federal lands.

It would allows the federal government to withdraw wilderness study areas, area of initial environmental concern, areas in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and imposes strong permitting requirements for mines proposed near national parks, such as the Grand Canyon.

The measure would also end the sales of public lands that contain mineral resources and establish a clean-up fund for abandoned hardrock mines on public lands. It would also create a community impact assistance account to provide financial assistance for communities impacted by mining, including funds for infrastructure and public services.

HR 269 would also allow for the suspension of mining permits and allow the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to order mines cease operations if serious environmental pollution becomes a crisis. Mine operators would only be allowed to suspend mining operations for no more than 180 days without seeking the permission of the federal government.

The Secretaries could also deny mining plans of operations or exploration permits.

The bill also provides for citizen lawsuits against mining or exploration programs.

"I have labored to reform the Mining Law of 1872 for nearly three decades-not just to fight the giveaway of public lands and valuable minerals, and to combat the threats to human health and safety from abandoned mine lands-but because I am a supporter of mining," Rahall said. "I believe we can no longer expect a viable hardrock mining industry to exist on public domain lands in the future if we do not make corrections to the law today."

Rahall also named Rep. Jim Costa, D-California, to again chair the Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals Resources, which will oversee any hearings on HR 269.

However, National Mining Association President and CEO Hal Quinn said the bill will put "thousands of high-paying mining jobs and mining-dependent communities through the West" at risk. "These are jobs and operations that play a vital role in rebuilding America, but they cannot shoulder the world's highest royalty and remain competitive in the international markets."

Quinn added that the royalty and other aspects of HR 699 "are duplicative of other U.S. laws and regulations would needlessly jeopardize U.S. metals mining-further increasing our dependence on foreign sources for the metals we will need to rebuild America."

"NMA supports responsible updates to the General Mining Law to keep U.S. mining strong, but this is the wrong medicine for our economy and crushing news for thousands of families in America's mining community," he concluded.

Return to Top of Page

2008 SAFEST MINING YEAR ON RECORD;
NMA UNVEILS NEW SAFETY CAMPAIGN
(Source: National Mining Association)

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently confirmed that 2008 marked the safest year on record in U.S. mining. Following the release of MSHA's year-end safety data, NMA President and CEO Hal Quinn said the data demonstrate the success of the mining community's comprehensive efforts to continually improve safety performance. Quinn emphasized that mine operators continue to work towards a goal of zero fatalities.

According to MSHA, 51 mining employees lost their lives on the job during 2008, while half the nation's mines operated without a single lost-time injury. "The 51 fatalities at U.S. mines in 2008 are a great loss to all of us," said Quinn. "Their loss also means we are short of the only goal that counts – zero fatalities," said Quinn.

U.S. mining is back on track with year-over-year improvements in mine safety that began in the 1990s -- a trend that has resumed in a year with record new employment and resource production."

"By achieving our safest year on record in 2008, U.S. mining is demonstrating that significant improvements in workplace health and safety can be realized through the use of advanced technology, enhanced safety training and awareness, sound laws and regulations and sophisticated risk analysis," said Quinn. "It takes a commitment by all members of the mining community -- operators, miners and regulators -- to use all these tools to make good on our shared commitment to achieve zero fatalities and injuries in America's mines."

Quinn stressed that more than $500 million has been invested in new safety and training technology at U.S. mines over the last three years. He noted that "mines are promoting mine safety and health as a core value -- instilling the values of safety leadership, accountability and personal involvement in every employee and providing them with the training and tools to prevent fatalities, injuries and occupational illnesses."

In an effort to further improve mine safety, NMA unveiled the "Stay Away, Stay Alive" safety campaign deigned to reduce accidents and fatalities associated with unsafe activity in proximity to continuous mining machines in underground coal mines.

"This is a voluntary awareness program specifically tailored to a safety need our industry has identified," said Alliance Resources Partners President and CEO Joe Craft, who also chairs NMA's Safety, Health & Human Resources Committee. "Our goal at NMA is to continue to be proactive going forward," said Craft. NMA and its member company safety professionals developed new safety training and awareness materials based on analyses of actual accident reports. The materials highlight specific actions that should be avoided. The materials include a training video, as well as hard hat stickers and a safety poster that build on the information in the video, which are meant to provide ongoing awareness of the campaign.

NMA will provide the new safety materials to safety directors at NMA member companies and is making them available to all U.S. underground coal mining companies as part of the association's commitment to bring every miner home safely at the end of every shift.

The innovative program is a first step intended to help lay the groundwork for the next generation of underground mining technology that will be used to detect unsafe proximity to mining equipment. More information on NMA's safety campaign is available at: http://www.nma.org/stay_alive.asp

 

REP. ELLSWORTH INTRODUCES NEW MINE SAFETY TAX CREDIT BILL
(Source: National Mining Association)

Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.) introduced tax incentive legislation designed to assist mine operators' efforts to deploy the latest in mine safety technology. The bill also contains provisions targeted at strengthening mine rescue team training.

The "Improved Mine Safety Act of 2009" provides a 50 percent tax credit covering the cost of qualified advanced mine safety equipment. Equipment covered by the tax credit include emergency communication technologies and devices for constant communication with individuals outside the mine; electronic identification and location devices; emergency oxygen-generating devices; pre-positioned oxygen supplies; and comprehensive atmospheric monitoring systems that monitor levels of carbon monoxide and other gases.

For mine rescue training, the bill revises an existing tax credit by increasing the size of the credit, allowing the credit as an offset against the alternative minimum tax and making the credit permanent.

"On behalf of the nation's mining community, NMA thanks Rep. Ellsworth for introducing legislation to provide important investment incentives that will accelerate the introduction of new safety technologies, safety training and additional mine rescue capabilities into the nation's mines," said NMA Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Bruce Watzman.

"U.S. coal mining operators are working rapidly to develop and deploy new safety procedures and equipment, and Congressman Ellsworth's legislation will help advance the installment of the latest and most advanced technologies, while also improving the response capabilities of mine rescue teams," said Watzman. "We applaud Congressman Ellsworth for his dedication and hard work towards improving the safety of coal miners both in Indiana and across the country.

MSHA PUBLISHES FINAL MINE RULE
ON REFUGE ALTERNATIVES
(Source: Coal News)

The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has published the final rule that requires operators of underground coal mines to provide refuge alternatives to protect miners when a life-threatening event occurs that makes escape impossible. The rule is based on agency data and experience, recommendations from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health report on refuge alternatives, research on available and developing technology, state regulations, and public comments and hearing testimony. The rule implements Section 13 of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006.

"This final rule will help reassure coal miners that, should a mine emergency occur that prevents them from escaping, they will have a protected, secure area to sustain them while they await rescue," said Richard E. Stickler, acting assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health.

Underground coal mine operators must address the location, capability and capacity of refuge alternatives in written Emergency Response Plans; train miners to locate, transport, deploy, use and maintain refuge alternatives; conduct pre-shift examinations of refuge alternatives and components; and locate refuge alternatives on mine maps.

Two types of refuge alternatives are allowed: Pre-fabricated selfcontained units, and units consisting of 15 psi stoppings constructed prior to an event in a secure space with an isolated atmosphere. Other refuges currently approved in Emergency Response Plans would be phased out over time.

Refuge alternatives must provide at least 15 square feet of floor space per person and, depending on mining heights, 30 to 60 cubic feet of volume per person. The airlock can be included as useable space.

For locations near the working section, the capacity is the maximum number of persons that can be expected on or near the section at any time. In an outby area, the capacity is the maximum number of persons reasonably expected to use the refuge alternative. Refuge alternatives must be located within 1,000 feet from the nearest working face and from locations where mechanized mining equipment is being installed or removed; and within 1-hour travel distances in outby areas, unless the operator requests - and the MSHA
district manager approves - a different location based on an assessment of risks to persons in outby areas.

Refuge alternatives and their components need to sustain persons for 96 hours, or 48 hours if advance arrangements are made for additional supplies from the surface. Food, water, lighting, first-aid supplies, and sanitation are required. A two-way communication system that is part of the mine communication system - which can be used from inside the refuge alternative - and an additional communication system and other specifications set forth in the operator's approved Emergency Response Plan, are required.