CHARLESTON, W.Va., June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Massey Energy Company today announced that its Marfork Coal Company subsidiary of Raleigh County West Virginia is the winner of the Company's prestigious Green Miner Award for 2008. The Green Miner award annually recognizes the operating subsidiary that best exemplifies Massey's commitment to environmental excellence and will be presented at the Green Miner Award Banquet on Wednesday, June 17, 2009.
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"I am proud to have established the Green Miner award, showing Massey's commitment to improving our total environment," said Don L. Blankenship, chairman and CEO of Massey Energy. "Marfork Coal Company exemplifies going above and beyond regulatory standards and I'm happy to have people like Paul McCombs, chief engineer at Marfork and a 29 year Massey veteran, and Thomas Cook, vice president Environmental Affairs, previously of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, as part of the Massey team."
Marfork Coal Company won the 2008 award through an impressive commitment to environmental management and Massey standards in practices and processes that are beyond what are required by law, including:
-- An industry leading slurry system that includes high pressure steel pipe with double containment, twice yearly ultrasonic pipe inspection and certification, a Massey designed and industry-first leak detection system with remote monitoring devices and live video feed to the control room. The system initiates an automatic plant shutdown if a leak is detected. -- Impoundment design and construction monitoring by a third-party engineering firm, oversight by international dam experts, and additional monitoring by company engineers for construction, compaction testing and water analysis.
Marfork Coal Company's environmental management includes a dedicated environmental crew headed by Richie Johnson, a 14 year Massey veteran, who are responsible for maintenance and environmental compliance requirements. They perform internal self-audits of operations on a monthly basis and periodic training of members on environmental compliance. Additionally all active permits are inspected by company engineers to assess compliance with regulations, as well as Massey policy. The Coal River valley was previously home to one of the highest risk impoundments in Appalachia. Once this impoundment was acquired by Massey, Massey took it out of service and potential hazards were mitigated by eliminating the impounding capability. Marfork selected a new site and built a well-designed and soundly constructed impoundment.
In addition to the Green Miner Award, Best of Class awards will be presented to Republic Energy's Empire Surface Mine for Best Surface Mine, Green Valley's Hominy Creek Mine for Best Underground Mine and Marfork Processing for Best Preparation Plant. Black Castle Mining Company will be presented the Most Improved Operation Award.
Massey Energy Company, headquartered in Richmond, Va., with operations in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia, is the fourth largest coal producer by revenue in the United States and is included in the S&P 500 Index.
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Massey Energy Company
CONTACT: Jeff Gillenwater, Massey Energy Company, +1-304-369-8500
