The Energy Report
West Virginia Enacts Coal Tax Cut
Gov. Jim Justice signed bills dropping a tax on coal from 5 to 3 percent over the next three years and granting a 35 percent tax credit to coal companies buying new equipment for new or expanded mining operations.
Read MoreFracking Company to Pay Millions for WV Clean Water Act Violations
Fracking company Antero Resources was ordered to pay $3.15 million for state and federal water pollution violations and to undertake an estimated $8 million cleanup.
Read MoreNC Governor Proposes Wind Energy Study
Gov. Roy Cooper’s proposed budget for 2019 to 2021 includes $300,000 for a study to determine the state’s feasibility for offshore wind energy.
Read MoreProposed Mine Causes Concern in Birmingham
A water utility and a local conservation group in Birmingham, Ala., are fighting against a proposed strip mine 5.5 miles upstream of the city’s primary drinking water intakes.
Read MoreReinterpretation of Migratory Bird Law Favors Energy Companies
Eight states alongside environmental groups are suing the federal government for its 2017 ruling that allows the incidental killing of migratory birds.
Read MoreU.S. Sees Growth in Clean Energy Jobs
A total of 110,000 net new clean energy jobs were added in the United States in 2018, a growth rate of 3.6 percent.
Read MoreKentuckians Petition State to Block Surface Mining Near Two Towns
Filers of the petition argue that future surface coal mining near Benham and Lynch, Ky., would harm residents’ health and enjoyment of the area, as well as the towns’ historic character and attempts to attract tourism.
Read MoreFunding for Black Lung Benefits Halved
A tax on coal companies funding benefits for former miners with black lung disease was halved at the first of the year.
Read MoreEPA Questions Benefits of Mercury Regulations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is changing the way it calculates the benefits of reducing mercury and air pollution emissions from coal-fired power plants, which advocates fear could lead to looser pollution limits in the future.
Read MorePetrochemical Plants Advance
Ohio issued an air permit for a petrochemical plant in Belmont County as construction continues on Royal Dutch Shell’s ethane cracker in western Pennsylvania.
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