Jan 22 Energy & Environment Bankrupt Blackjewel Coal Still Racking Up Environmental Violations, Officials Warn An attorney for the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet told a federal judge Wednesday that the bankrupt coal company Blackjewel has accrued nearly 300 environmental violations since it entered bankruptcy in July. “It’s essential that these violations are addressed, abated, and that they stop accruing,” Cabinet attorney Lena Seward told bankruptcy judge Frank Volk in […] By Sydney Boles Jan 22 Energy & Environment Bankrupt Blackjewel Coal Still Racking Up Environmental Violations, Officials Warn Sydney Boles
Dec 19 Economy After Nearly A Decade Of Anxiety Over Pensions, Coal Miners See Light At The End Of The Tunnel Union coal miners and retirees breathed a collective sigh of relief after the U.S. Senate passed a spending bill that includes support for miners’ pensions, which had been at risk due to the coal industry’s downturn. The bill, which funds the federal government for the coming year, also includes The Bipartisan American Miners Act which […] By Becca Schimmel Dec 19 Economy After Nearly A Decade Of Anxiety Over Pensions, Coal Miners See Light At The End Of The Tunnel Becca Schimmel
Dec 17 Energy & Environment Conservation Groups Concerned About Cleanup Costs For Bankrupt Blackjewel Coal Environmental groups sparred with coal company Blackjewel Tuesday over damage left behind in the coal company’s ongoing bankruptcy. The group is calling attention to numerous environmental violations by Blackjewel and its related companies and urging the federal bankruptcy judge to prioritize the environment as the bankruptcy continues. The groups identified more than 400 instances when […] By Sydney Boles Dec 17 Energy & Environment Conservation Groups Concerned About Cleanup Costs For Bankrupt Blackjewel Coal Sydney Boles
Dec 11 Economy Ohio Valley Lawmaker Plans To Halt Senate Action Over Coal Miners’ Benefits West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin pledged Wednesday to block all legislation until pensions and health benefits are secured for coal miners. Manchin said no legislation will pass the Senate until he is assured that coal miners’ benefits will be in the spending bill used to fund the federal government. The Bipartisan American Miners Act […] By Becca Schimmel Dec 11 Economy Ohio Valley Lawmaker Plans To Halt Senate Action Over Coal Miners’ Benefits Becca Schimmel
Nov 19 Energy & Environment Black Lung Trust Fund Likely Burdened by Murray Bankruptcy The recent bankruptcy of Murray Energy is likely to significantly increase the debt of a struggling federal trust fund that supports disabled miners’ health care expenses. According to court filings, Murray Energy could be responsible for as much as $155 million under the Black Lung Act and general workers’ compensation, but testimony from the Government Accountability […] By Sydney Boles Nov 19 Energy & Environment Black Lung Trust Fund Likely Burdened by Murray Bankruptcy Sydney Boles
Nov 15 Health Homelessness And Health Costs: This Kentucky Mom Faced Cancer While Living In Her Car Cancer was what finally pushed Kristi Reyes into living in her car. The mother of four had worked all her life, starting at age 7 when she helped out at her family’s furniture store. Most of her work was in retail. It was paycheck-to-paycheck but she kept her kids together and a roof over their […] By Mary Meehan Nov 15 Health Homelessness And Health Costs: This Kentucky Mom Faced Cancer While Living In Her Car Mary Meehan
Nov 1 Economy Murray Energy’s Bankruptcy Could Bring Collapse Of Coal Miners’ Pensions The recent bankruptcy of Ohio Valley coal giant Murray Energy has renewed fears about the already shaky financial foundations of the pension plan that tens of thousands of miners and their families depend upon. The seismic collapse of yet another coal employer has lawmakers from the region renewing their push to fix the United Mine […] By Becca Schimmel Nov 1 Economy Murray Energy’s Bankruptcy Could Bring Collapse Of Coal Miners’ Pensions Becca Schimmel
Oct 29 Economy Ohio-Based Coal Giant Murray Energy Declares Bankruptcy Murray Energy Corp., the largest underground coal mining company in America with a substantial footprint across the Ohio Valley, has filed for bankruptcy protection. “Although a bankruptcy filing is not an easy decision, it became necessary to access liquidity and best position Murray Energy and its affiliates for the future of our employees and customers […] By Brittany Patterson Oct 29 Economy Ohio-Based Coal Giant Murray Energy Declares Bankruptcy Brittany Patterson
Oct 24 Economy Blackjewel Miners Get More Of Their Pay As Labor Dept. Acts Against Bankrupt Company Coal miners who went without pay when mining company Blackjewel declared bankruptcy this June are one step closer to receiving lost wages. The checks come weeks after some of the miners ended a long-running protest, and months after the federal Department of Labor first intervened to allege the company violated labor laws in the month […] By Sydney Boles Oct 24 Economy Blackjewel Miners Get More Of Their Pay As Labor Dept. Acts Against Bankrupt Company Sydney Boles
Oct 3 Economy Blackjewel Miners Likely to Receive Pay in DOL Deal The Department of Labor and a company associated with Blackjewel agreed this week to put nearly $5.75 million toward coal miners left unpaid in the company’s chaotic bankruptcy. The July 1 bankruptcy of one of the nation’s largest coal companies left 1,100 coal miners in Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia out of work and without […] By Sydney Boles Oct 3 Economy Blackjewel Miners Likely to Receive Pay in DOL Deal Sydney Boles