Comments on: Despite EPA deal, Massey water violations more frequent

By: New water pollution suit filed against Massey « Coal Tattoo

New water pollution suit filed against Massey « Coal Tattoo — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:40:20 +0000

[...] suit follows a formal notice of intent to sue that was filed in January (see previous posts here and here). It was filed on behalf of the Sierra Club, the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Coal [...]

By: When will Massey’s water pollution violations stop? « Coal Tattoo

When will Massey’s water pollution violations stop? « Coal Tattoo — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:09:55 +0000

[...] the same time, a new legal action against his company has revealed that Massey’s water pollution violations have become more frequent since a record $20 million Clean Water Act lawsuit settlement with U.S. [...]

By: Jeff Biggers: Amazing Video: Coal Miners Join Historic Rallies to End Mountaintop Removal | Dabozzz.com – Money Blog

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:25:20 +0000

[...] of Massey Energy, a mountaintop removal company that has racked up thousands of regulatory violations, Richmond, Virginia is no stranger to the dark legacy of reckless coal [...]

By: Jeff Biggers: Amazing Video: Coal Miners Join Historic Rallies to End Mountaintop Removal | Deconstructing The News

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:51:48 +0000

[...] of Massey Energy, a mountaintop removal company that has racked up thousands of regulatory violations, Richmond, Virginia is no stranger to the dark legacy of reckless coal [...]

By: Jeff Biggers: Amazing Video: Coal Miners Join Historic Rallies to End Mountaintop Removal

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:40:02 +0000

[...] of Massey Energy, a mountaintop removal company that has racked up thousands of regulatory violations, Richmond, Virginia is no stranger to the dark legacy of reckless coal [...]

By: Jeff Biggers: AMAZING VIDEO: Coal Miners Join Historic Feb. 11th KY/VA Rallies to End Mountaintop Removal | Twitmerlin - News, Celebs Gossip, Social Media

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:45:17 +0000

[...] of Massey Energy, a mountaintop removal company that has racked up thousands of regulatory violations, Richmond, Virginia is no stranger to the dark legacy of reckless coal [...]

By: Shelby

Shelby — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:14:59 +0000

As a young lad back in the 1930s, who loved to fish the Guyandotte river, it was upsetting to see thousands of dying fish floating on the rivers’ surface. The fish kill came from upstream Island Creek Coal Co. releasing mine waters. The company did as it pleased back then, as there were NO environmental groups to challenge them. It was wrong back then, and STILL wrong !

By: Greenhoof » Blog Archive » Massey Energy running attack ads against "tree hugging extremists"

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:31:36 +0000

[...] the notice alleges that, between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, Massey violated its effluent limits at its various operations at least 971 times, and accrued 12,977 days in violation during that 12-month [...]

By: Casey

Casey — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:48:34 +0000

His “family” is probably about 10,000 plus, excluding indirect “family” members. As you know he’s set but they aren’t.

By: Red Desert

Red Desert — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:01:41 +0000

I mean, after all, Don Blankenship’s gotta feed his family.

By: Red Desert

Red Desert — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:00:06 +0000

I was confused about rhmooney’s point as well–is the EPA too lax and ineffective or is it an overly aggressive nuisance, interfering with the red-blooded corporation’s natural-born right to to destroy a little land, turn a little profit.

By: Massey faces suit | Richmond BizSense

Massey faces suit | Richmond BizSense — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:47:52 +0000

[...] Charleston Gazette’s Coal Tattoo blog has some great coverage, including a copy of the new filing and an official response from [...]

By: Ken Ward Jr.

Ken Ward Jr. — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:05:47 +0000

Ok, Bob … If you all want to have a discussion about radon, more power to you. Just start your own blog and do that. This is Coal Tattoo … no more comments on radon. Ken.

By: rhmooney3

rhmooney3 — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:58:46 +0000

IF I was living in WV, I would be more concerned about Radon then flooding than about coal mining impacts — not to dismiss the significance of it.

My home in SE Ohio had a Radon reading of eight — the first and highest of four tests that I did.

By chaulking and applying sealant to the basement walls and floor that final reading was a two.

More radon: http://www.wvdhhr.org/rtia/radon.asp

The U.S. EPA and the U.S. Geologic Survey conducted surveys of radon potential across the United States. The broke the country down into three zones according to their potential for high indoor radon levels, with Zone 1 having the highest radon potential. It is true that homes in Zones 1 and 2 have a statistically higher chance of having elevated levels of radon. However, the fact is that elevated levels of radon have been found in homes in all fifty states. The radon level I your home depends on the geology under and near your home. The only way to know for sure, and to protect your family from radon, is to test your home.

The science on radon has been formidable over the years, but never before have we had such overwhelming scientific consensus that exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer in humans.

Map: Lung cancer rate in WV by counties
http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/atlas/cancerLung.pdf

By: rhmooney3

rhmooney3 — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:01:31 +0000

Vernon,

What does the EPA do that works? (The point of my post about Radon — something that doesn’t have any opposition to addressing it.)

By: Vernon

Vernon — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:29:22 +0000

I’m not sure what rhmooney’s lengthy post about radon has to do with this lawsuit, other than maybe the ineffectiveness of EPA actions. The previous settlement, $20 million for what would have been a $2 billion fine at standard rates, was clearly ineffective in deterring Massey from breaking the law. Hopefully the EPA will take note that a 1% settlement doesn’t work. The data comes from Massey’s own reports, so if Massey’s statement that the data appears to be “significantly incorrect” is true, then that would mean the reports they submitted were also incorrect and therefore a violation of the settlement terms.

By: Jim Sconyers

Jim Sconyers — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:04:40 +0000

The Sierra Club is 1700 concerned West Virginians who are appalled by the devastation wrought by mountaintop removal.

By: eastwood78

eastwood78 — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:30:43 +0000

Why should Massey Energy, Inc., comply with any agency, be it state or federal? Massey has always did what they wanted to, and even if the fine of $20 million dollars is collected, it means very little to Massey. Double the fine to $40 million this time, and it will still mean nothing. Massey Energy, Inc. owns our governor “Black Diamond Joe,” and altho Byrd comes out with a sensible statement, that is not good enough for Massey, Governor Manchin, and all the other pro-coal people.

I read in the Gazette where Mr. Blankenship gets a raise in his great salary. Be nice if he would share some of that with his employees. Very few of Massey employees would dare to make a statement against Massey Energy, Inc.

I feel for Massey employees for I am sure that many served in the armed forces to protect the rights of all Americans. Freedom of speech is granted to all, but be careful of how it used against Massey.

Massey employee today; say something bad about Massey, and be in unemployment line tomorrow.

So sad. Peace to both sides in this continueing issue.

By: Vivian Stockman

Vivian Stockman — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:56:08 +0000

The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, for which I work, is based In Huntington, WV, which is in the Ohio River Valley. Coal River Mountain Watch is based in Whitesville, WV. The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy also is, as you might guess, a West Virginia-based group. The Sierra Club has chapters nationwide, including here in West Virginia.

Massey is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, though the company does have an office building in Julian, WV.

By: rhmooney3

rhmooney3 — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:24:38 +0000

Wait a minute, another six years have not passed — this is being done too early.

Why can’t the coal industry do like the tobacco industry — just pay a one-time penalty?

Maybe the EPA needs to fine itself…or, like the IRS, offer rewards to snitches.

—

(Another heck-of-a-job the EPA is doing.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO2xi0uLnj8 (6 seconds)

EPA: Radon killed 20,000 Americans in 2009

PHILADELPHIA, Penn. — Although testing for radon is easy and inexpensive, 80 percent of the homes in the U.S. have not been tested. Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that EPA has reported as causing 20,000 lung cancer deaths nationwide every year.

(Continued)

http://www.williamsondailynews.com/pages/full_story/push?article–EPA-+Radon+killed+20-000+Americans+in+2009-%20&id=5508466&instance=home_news_lead

National Radon Action Month
http://www.epa.gov/radon/nram/

http://www.epa.gov/radon/images/zonemapcolor_800.jpg

Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) (red zones) Highest Potential

Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (orange zones) Moderate Potential

Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L (yellow zones)