Coal Geology and Mining: Consulting Services

EPA’s Proposed Cleaner Fuels and Cars Standards

Editor — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:16:24 +0000

Here’s What They’re Saying about EPA’s Proposed Cleaner Fuels and Cars Standards

Release Date: March 29, 2013
Contact Information: press@epa.gov

WASHINGTON – Based on extensive input from auto manufactures, refiners, and states, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed sensible standards for cars and gasoline that will significantly reduce harmful pollution, prevent thousands of premature deaths and illnesses, while also enabling efficiency improvements in the cars and trucks we drive. These cleaner fuels and cars standards are an important component of the administration’s national program for clean cars and trucks, which also include historic fuel efficiency standards that are saving new vehicle owners at the gas pump today. Once fully in place, the standards will help avoid up to 2,400 premature deaths per year and 23,000 cases of respiratory ailments in children.

Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland
“The new motor fuel standards proposed today by the Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama’s leadership will help Maryland reach its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020. Reductions from mobile sources are one of the most important strategies needed to provide clean air to Maryland’s citizens for generations to come. Today’s actions will also provide a significant benefit to the Chesapeake Bay as approximately one-third of its nitrogen issues are caused by air pollution. By proposing these new robust vehicle and fuel quality standards, President Obama and the EPA have made a strong commitment to protecting the public’s health and our environment. Together with our federal partners, we can create a more sustainable future for our children.”

Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts

”I applaud President Obama and the EPA for issuing this new rule, which is a significant step forward in reducing air pollution from vehicles. This rule means cleaner cars and cleaner fuels, which in turn means healthier communities across the country,” said Governor Deval Patrick. ”This common sense regulation is a victory for a cost-effective and sensible way to clean our air.”

Dannel P. Malloy, Governor of Connecticut

“EPA’s proposed Tier 3 vehicle standards and cleaner gasoline will give our state immediate air quality benefits, which will only grow over time as new cars enter the marketplace. In Connecticut, we are taking action to show that we can have a strong economy and a healthy environment, and the new standards for motor vehicles and fuels announced today by EPA are consistent with our approach. I applaud EPA’s help taking on the most significant source of air pollution – cars, trucks and other so-called mobile sources – and look forward to prompt finalization of the rule so we all breathe cleaner air.”

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island

“Today the Obama Administration took much-needed action to reduce air pollution and protect the health of our citizens. Rhode Islanders, particularly seniors, children, and those with asthma, have suffered for too long from the so-called ‘bad air days’ that can land them in the hospital. This new standard means cleaner gasoline and cleaner vehicles, which will help us prevent a major source of the air pollution that causes those bad air days. This is a big step forward for public health.”

Robert M. Pestronk, MPH, Executive Director, National Association of County and City Health Officials
“On behalf of America’s 2,800 local health departments, NACCHO applauds the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed standards for cleaner gasoline and cars. The updated standards prevent illness, preserve health and help reduce health care costs. Standards like these help local health departments keep people healthy and safe by improving air quality.”

U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, N.Y.
“The implementation of Tier 3 emission standards is a big step forward for Americans,” said Senator Gillibrand. “More stringent emission standards would significantly decrease air pollution, create new jobs and increase worker’s economic productivity by reducing the number of sick days they take from lung and heart related ailments. We’ve cleared a crucial step in the process, and I will continue to urge the Administration to move quickly to finalize the rule this year”

Paul Billings, Senior Vice President, American Lung Association
“Pollution from cars, light trucks, and SUVs kills and makes people sick. Stronger standards that lower sulfur levels in gasoline and cut toxic tailpipe pollutants will pave the way to a healthier future. Using lower sulfur gasoline in cars currently on the road will reduce as much pollution as taking 33 million cars off the road. Passenger vehicles are major sources of ozone and particle pollution that pose serious threats to public health. This pollution triggers asthma attacks, worsens lung and heart health and can even lead to early death. Children, the elderly and those with chronic lung and heart health problems are most vulnerable to traffic-related pollution.”

Georges Benjamin, Executive Director, American Public Health Association
“The return on investment of these important standards measured in both health savings and deaths averted is hugely significant and should not be overlooked. Reducing dangerous tailpipe emissions from cars will deliver between $8 and $23 billion in national health benefits annually by 2030 and prevent tens of thousands of asthma attacks, hospitalizations and early deaths. “

Gloria Bergquist, Spokeswoman, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
“This is a big step forward for this country to catch up to the clean fuels available in other industrialized nations. Automakers have already reduced vehicle emissions by 99 percent, and we’re working to go further while also delivering high quality, affordable vehicles to our customers.”

Dan Wyant, Director, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
“Michigan’s automobile industry continues producing vehicles that are more fuel efficient and better for the state’s air quality. The EPA’s proposed Tier 3 fuel standard will further the goal of cleaner air.”

Shannon Baker-Branstetter, Policy Counsel for Consumers Union
“Vehicles have gotten cleaner over the years, but unfortunately too many Americans still struggle with health issues like asthma and respiratory problems that come from breathing in air heavy with smog and other pollutants. These standards are expected to be highly cost-effective in cleaning up gasoline and tailpipe emissions. These minimal costs will be largely outweighed by the savings that come from the huge health benefits we get from cleaner air.”

Bill Becker, Executive Director, National Association of Clean Air Agencies
“The new standard could be ‘the most significant air pollution policy President Obama will adopt in his second term. .?.?. There is not another air pollution control strategy that we know of that will produce as substantial, cost-effective and expeditious emissions reductions.”

Luke Tonachel, Senior Vehicles Analyst, Natural Resources Defense Council
“These common-sense standards will save lives, save money and clean up our air – all at a minimal cost. Big Oil companies want us to believe these benefits aren’t worth it. But that’s because they care about profits above all else.”

Frank O’Donnell, President, Clean Air Watch
“I think this proposal is the single most effective step EPA can take right now to reduce smog.”

Statement from the Emissions Control Technology Association
As the companies who have developed the cutting edge technology to reduce mobile source emissions by more than 90 percent, the Emissions Control Technology Association (ECTA) commends President Obama’s leadership in proposing a Tier 3 regulation that will improve public health and strengthen our domestic manufacturing base. The benefits of Tier 3 will far outweigh the cost.

Michelle Robinson, Director of Clean Vehicles Program, Union of Concerned Scientists
“The path from a car’s tailpipe to our lungs is surprisingly short, and more than 1 in 3 Americans live in areas where air pollution levels exceed at least one federal limit. Today’s proposal is a common-sense step that will protect our health while growing our economy.”

Michael Brune, Sierra Club, Executive Director
“With these expected cleaner tailpipe standards, President Obama is taking a strong step to protect our public health and secure his clean energy legacy. We have the technology to clean up our fuels and our cars and it’s critical that we put them to work to ensure Americans have the safe, breathable air they deserve. Cutting smog and other toxic air pollution will help American children breath cleaner air and will save lives. These new standards will save billions annually in health costs and will free American families from some of the crippling effects of respiratory disease, asthma attacks and other severe health problems.”

Michael Stanton, President and CEO, Global Automakers
“We have been anxiously awaiting this rulemaking because it is good for the environment and will help harmonize the federal and California programs for both vehicles and fuels. With 15 million new vehicle sales a year, automakers need predictable national fuel quality at the retail pump. Ultra-low sulfur gasoline is already available in California, Europe, and Japan and will enable automakers to use a broader range of technologies to meet the significant environmental challenges facing the industry.”

Mark MacLeod, Environmental Defense Fund
“The new Tier 3 standards will make our cars cleaner, and that means we’ll have cleaner air to breathe. Reducing tailpipe pollution will provide healthier, longer lives for millions of Americans for less than a penny per gallon of gas. That’s why updating the standards has such broad support from U.S. auto makers, state health commissioners, and health advocates.”

R051

US monthly coal production in 2013 down more than 10% compared to 2012

Editor — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:43:34 +0000

According to latest news release from EIA, the monthly coal production in the US is down by more than 10% than last year. 2012 production were also much less than production in 2011.

U.S. total monthly coal production through February 2013

U.S. total monthly coal production through February 2013
http://www.eia.gov/coal/news_markets/monthly.cfm
11:20:01 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
Source: Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)	U.S. Department of Labor	Form 7000-2.
Category	2011	2012	2013	Decrease in production from 2012 (%)
Jan	91.355	94.944	83.892	12
Feb	85.575	85.763	76.673	11
Mar	96.548	85.698
Apr	88.563	77.624
May	86.85	81.825
Jun	88.878	81.911
Jul	85.498	86.344
Aug	95.495	90.839
Sep	94.013	81.846
Oct	94.643	86.744
Nov	94.109	85.473
Dec	94.101	81.44

Stock Report: Vale, Alpha Natural Resources, Arch Coal, Molycorp, and Cameco Early Briefing and Review

Editor — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:15:11 +0000

Mining companies faced significant challenges in 2012 due to a slowdown in China, a major consumer of raw materials. Weak demand for raw materials led to a number of mining companies delaying mining projects and closing some mines. However, a rebound in the Chinese economy augurs well for mining companies such as Vale SA (NYSE: VALE). In the U.S., coal producers such as Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: ANR), and Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) struggled as natural gas prices dropped to record low levels in 2012. U.S. coal producers are now looking to increase their exports in order to offset weak domestic demand. Meanwhile, demand for rare earth minerals is expected to remain robust due to increasing use tablets and smartphones. This should benefit Molycorp Inc. (NYSE: MCP). Uranium mining companies such as Cameco Corporation (NYSE: CCJ) are also expected to see a strong year ahead. On Wednesday, mining stocks ended mostly lower even as the broad market edged higher. StockCall has released free charting and technical research on these aforementioned companies. Register to read these reports at

http://www.stockcall.com/report

Shares of Vale SA fell sharply in Wednesday’s trading session. The stock closed 4.35% lower at $17.80on above average volume of 27.02 million. The stock has now fallen more than 15% this year, compared to a gain of 9% for the S&P 500. The mining company’s shares have fallen below their 200-day moving average as a result of a sharp decline yesterday. This is a bearish signal. The stock’s MACD has also crossed below the signal line, which further confirms the bearish trend. Sign up for the free report on VALE at

http://www.StockCall.com/VALE031413.pdf

Shares of Alpha Natural Resources Inc. also tumbled in yesterday’s trading session. The stock closed 4.42% lower at $8.01 on volume of 8.86 million. Alpha Natural Resources’ shares have fallen more than 6.60% in the last three sessions. Year-to-date, the stock has fallen more than 17%, underperforming the broad market. The coal producer’s shares have slipped below their 200-day moving average, which is a bearish signal. ANR free technical report can be accessed by signing up at

http://www.StockCall.com/ANR031413.pdf

Shares of Arch Coal Inc. fell sharply in its previous trading session. The stock closed 1.91% lower at$5.14 on volume of 5.12 million yesterday. It has fallen 3.75% in the last three sessions. Year-to-date, coal miner’s shares have fallen nearly 30%, even as the broad market has rallied. The stock is currently trading well below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages which indicates a bearish pattern. Free report on ACI can be accessed by registering at

http://www.StockCall.com/ACI031413.pdf

Shares of Molycorp Inc. fell 4.48% to finish at $5.97 in Wednesday’s trading session. The stock has now fallen more than 8% in the last three sessions. It has dropped by more than 36% so far this year. Molycorp’s shares are currently facing resistance at around $6.50. Register with StockCall and download the research on MCP for free at

http://www.StockCall.com/MCP031413.pdf

Shares of Cameco Corporation edged lower in Wednesday’s session. The stock closed 1.81% lower at$21.14 on volume of 1.62 million on Wednesday. Despite the sharp decline yesterday, the uranium mining company’s shares are up 0.71% for the week. Read the full free research on CCJ by signing up to StockCall at

http://www.StockCall.com/CCJ031413.pdf

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CONTACT: Contact Person: William T. Knight, Email: info@stockcall.com, Contact Number: +1(646)396-9857 (9:00 am EST – 01:30 pm EST)

AK Steel Names Vice President, Human Resources

Editor — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:13:40 +0000

WEST CHESTER, Ohio, March 14, 2013 /Coal Geology/ – AK Steel (NYSE: AKS) said today thatStephanie S. Bisselberg has been named Vice President, Human Resources, effective April 1, 2013. She succeeds Lawrence F. Zizzo, who is retiring on March 31, 2013 following a 35 year career in the steel industry, including serving the last nine years as AK Steel’s Vice President, Human Resources.

“Stephanie brings outstanding talent, background and experience to this important senior management position,” said James L. Wainscott, Chairman, President and CEO of AK Steel. “She will provide excellent leadership for AK Steel’s Human Resources function going forward.”

Ms. Bisselberg joined AK Steel in 2004 as Assistant Labor Counsel, and advanced to Labor Counsel in 2005. In 2010, she was named Assistant General Counsel, Labor.

Prior to joining the company, she was an attorney in the Labor and Employment department of theCincinnati law firm Taft, Stettinius and Hollister LLP.

Ms. Bisselberg holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio) and a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University. In April 2013, she will complete the Master of Business Administration program at Xavier University. She is also a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association.

She has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Hyde Park (Ohio) Center for Older Adults and as a member of the Friends of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

AK Steel
AK Steel produces flat-rolled carbon, stainless and electrical steels, primarily for automotive, infrastructure and manufacturing, construction and electrical power generation and distribution markets. The company employs about 6,100 men and women in Middletown, Mansfield, Coshocton and Zanesville, Ohio; Butler, Pennsylvania; Ashland, Kentucky; Rockport, Indiana; and its corporate headquarters in West Chester, Ohio. Additional information about AK Steel is available on the company’s web site at www.aksteel.com.

AK Tube LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AK Steel, employs about 300 men and women in plants inWalbridge, Ohio and Columbus, Indiana. AK Tube produces carbon and stainless electric resistance welded (ERW) tubular steel products for truck, automotive and other markets. Additional information about AK Tube LLC is available on its web site at www.aktube.com.

AK Coal Resources, Inc., another wholly-owned subsidiary of AK Steel, controls and is developing metallurgical coal reserves in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. AK Steel also owns 49.9% of Magnetation LLC, a joint venture headquartered in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, which produces iron ore concentrate from previously mined ore reserves.

SOURCE AK Steel

CONTACT: Media – Barry L. Racey, Director, Government and Public Relations, +1-513-425-2749; Investors – Albert E. Ferrara, Jr., Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, +1-513-425-2888

Web Site: http://www.aksteel.com

Announcement from FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) on March 14th, 2013

Editor — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:11:29 +0000

FirstEnergy Announces Expiration of the Any and All Tender Offers of FirstEnergy Solutions and Allegheny Energy Supply and Early Tender Offer Results for FirstEnergy Solutions’ Maximum Tender Offer

AKRON, Ohio, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) today announced that, pursuant to the previously announced cash tender offers for up to $1,080,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the respective debt securities listed in the table below (the “Notes”) of FirstEnergy’s subsidiaries, FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. (“FES”) and Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC (“AE Supply” and together with FES, the “Companies”), as the case may be, $411,153,000 million in aggregate principal amount of Notes subject to the Any and All Offers (as defined below) were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Any and All Offers at 5:00 p.m. EDT on March 13, 2013(such time and date, the “Any and All Offer Expiration Date”), and $252,663,000 in aggregate principal amount of Notes subject to the Maximum Tender Offer (as defined below) were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the early tender date of 5:00 p.m. EDT on March 13, 2013 (such time and date, the “Early Tender Date”), according to the information provided by Bondholder Communications Group, LLC, the information and tender agent for such offers.

The tender offers consist of four separate offers (each an “Offer,” and collectively, the “Offers”) on the terms set forth in the Offer to Purchase and related Letter of Transmittal, each dated February 28, 2013, with one Offer to purchase any and all outstanding 5.75% Notes due 2019 issued by AE Supply, a second Offer to purchase any and all outstanding 6.75% Notes due 2039 issued by AE Supply, a third Offer to purchase any and all outstanding 6.80% Senior Notes due 2039 issued by FES (each of the foregoing an “Any and All Offer”), and a fourth Offer to purchase up to the Maximum Tender Amount (as defined below) of the 6.05% Senior Notes due 2021 (the “6.05% Notes”) issued by FES (the “Maximum Tender Offer”). Each Company is offering to purchase only those Notes issued by it.

The following table indicates, among other things, the principal amount of each series of Notes validly tendered as of the Any and All Offer Expiration Date and the Early Tender Date, as applicable:

Issuer(1)	CUSIP Numbers	Title of Security	Principal AmountOutstanding	Principal AmountTendered	Percent Tendered of Principal AmountOutstanding
Offers for Notes Listed Below: Any and All Offers
AE Supply	017363AK8/U01668AD1	5.75% Notes due 2019	$350,000,000	$194,468,000	55.56 %
AE Supply	017363AM4/U01668AE9	6.75% Notes due 2039	$250,000,000	$ 99,966,000	39.99 %
FES	33766JAF0/33766JAE3	6.80% Senior Notes due 2039	$480,000,000	$116,719,000	24.32 %
*Offer for Notes Listed Below: Maximum Tender Offer*
FES	33766JAD5/33766JAC7/ U3198TAB5	6.05% Senior Notes due 2021	$585,000,000	252,633,000	43.19 %

⁽¹⁾ FES’ 6.80% Senior Notes due 2039 and 6.05% Senior Notes due 2021 are guaranteed by its subsidiaries, FirstEnergy Generation, LLC and FirstEnergy Nuclear Generation, LLC, pursuant to certain guaranties entered into in March 2007.

All Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn in the Any and All Offers prior to the Any and All Offer Expiration Date have been accepted for purchase. FES and AE Supply expect to make payment for the applicable Notes in same-day funds today, March 14, 2013.

Since the difference between $1,080,000,000 and the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase today in the Any and All Offers (the “Maximum Tender Amount”) exceeds$585,000,000, which is the principal amount outstanding of the 6.05% Notes, all 6.05% Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn will be accepted for purchase.

Holders of 6.05% Notes subject to the Maximum Tender Offer who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw their 6.05% Notes before the Early Tender Date will receive the total consideration, which includes an early tender premium of $50 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered by such holders that are accepted for purchase, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of settlement. Holders of 6.05% who validly tender and do not validly withdraw their 6.05% Notes after the Early Tender Date and on or before the expiration of the Maximum Tender Offer will receive the tender offer consideration, which is the total consideration less the early tender premium. Any 6.05% Notes previously tendered, or to be tendered prior to the expiration of the Maximum Tender Offer, may not be withdrawn.

The Maximum Tender Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m. EDT on March 27, 2013, unless extended or earlier terminated. FES expects to make payment for the 6.05% Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn in same-day funds on the settlement date for the Maximum Tender Offer which is expected to be March 28, 2013.

Information Relating to the Offers

FirstEnergy has retained Goldman Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC to serve as Lead Dealer Managers for the Offers and BNP Paribas Securities Corp., KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Santander Investment Securities Inc. and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. to serve as Co-Dealer Managers for the Offers. Bondholder Communications Group, LLC has been retained to serve as the Information and Tender Agent for the Offers.

For additional information regarding the terms of the Maximum Tender Offer, please contact: Goldman Sachs at 800-828-3182 (toll free) or 212-902-5183 (collect) or Morgan Stanley at 800-624-1808 (toll free) or 212-761-1057 (collect). Requests for documents and questions regarding the tender of Notes may be directed to the Information and Tender Agent at 888-385-2663 (toll free) or 212-809-2663 (collect).

The respective obligations of FES and AE Supply to accept any Notes tendered and to pay the applicable consideration for such Notes are set forth solely in the Offer to Purchase and related Letter of Transmittal. None of the Companies, FirstEnergy, the Dealer Managers or the Information and Tender Agent is making any recommendations to holders of Notes as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering their Notes in the Maximum Tender Offer. Holders of Notes eligible to be tendered in the Maximum Tender Offer must decide how many Notes they will tender, if any.

This news release is not an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. FES may, subject to applicable law, amend, extend or terminate the Maximum Tender Offer. The Maximum Tender Offer is being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and related Letter of Transmittal that the Companies have distributed to holders of the 6.05% Notes. The Maximum Tender Offer is not being made in any jurisdiction in which such Offer, solicitation or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the Maximum Tender Offer is required to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, it shall be deemed to be made by the Dealer Managers on behalf of FES.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. Its generation subsidiaries control more than 20,000 megawatts of capacity from a diversified mix of scrubbed coal, non-emitting nuclear, natural gas, hydro, pumped-storage hydro and other renewables. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements based on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. These statements include declarations regarding management’s intents, beliefs and current expectations. These statements typically contain, but are not limited to, the terms “anticipate,” “potential,” “expect,” “believe,” “estimate” and similar words. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially due to: the speed and nature of increased competition in the electric utility industry, in general, and the retail sales market in particular, the impact of the regulatory process on the pending matters before FERC and in the various states in which we do business including, but not limited to, matters related to rates and pending rate cases, the uncertainties of various cost recovery and cost allocation issues resulting from ATSI’s realignment into PJM, economic or weather conditions affecting future sales and margins, regulatory outcomes associated with Hurricane Sandy, changing energy, capacity and commodity market prices including, but not limited to, coal, natural gas and oil, and availability and their impact on retail margins, financial derivative reforms that could increase our liquidity needs and collateral costs, the continued ability of our regulated utilities to collect transition and other costs, operation and maintenance costs being higher than anticipated, other legislative and regulatory changes, and revised environmental requirements, including possible GHG emission, water discharge, water intake and coal combustion residual regulations, the potential impacts of CAIR, and any laws, rules or regulations that ultimately replace CAIR, and the effects of the EPA’s MATS rules including our estimated costs of compliance, the uncertainty of the timing and amounts of the capital expenditures that may arise in connection with any litigation, including NSR litigation or potential regulatory initiatives or rulemakings (including that such expenditures could result in our decision to deactivate or idle certain generating units), the uncertainties associated with the deactivation of certain older unscrubbed regulated and competitive fossil units, including the impact on vendor commitments, and the timing thereof as they relate to, among other things, the RMR arrangements and the reliability of the transmission grid, adverse regulatory or legal decisions and outcomes with respect to our nuclear operations (including, but not limited to the revocation or non-renewal of necessary licenses, approvals or operating permits by the NRC or as a result of the incident at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant), adverse legal decisions and outcomes related to ME’s and PN’s ability to recover certain transmission costs through their TSC riders, the impact of future changes to the operational status or availability of our generating units, the risks and uncertainties associated with litigation, arbitration, mediation and like proceedings, including, but not limited to, any such proceedings related to vendor commitments, replacement power costs being higher than anticipated or inadequately hedged, the ability to comply with applicable state and federal reliability standards and energy efficiency and peak demand reduction mandates, changes in customers’ demand for power, including but not limited to, changes resulting from the implementation of state and federal energy efficiency and peak demand reduction mandates, the ability to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits from strategic and financial goals including, but not limited to, the ability to successfully complete the proposed West Virginia asset transfer and to improve our credit metrics, our ability to improve electric commodity margins and the impact of, among other factors, the increased cost of fuel and fuel transportation on such margins, the ability to experience growth in the Regulated Distribution segment and to continue to successfully implement our direct retail sales strategy in the Competitive Energy Services segment, changing market conditions that could affect the measurement of liabilities and the value of assets held in our NDTs, pension trusts and other trust funds, and cause us and our subsidiaries to make additional contributions sooner, or in amounts that are larger than currently anticipated, the impact of changes to material accounting policies, the ability to access the public securities and other capital and credit markets in accordance with our financing plans, the cost of such capital and overall condition of the capital and credit markets affecting us and our subsidiaries, actions that may be taken by credit rating agencies that could negatively affect us and our subsidiaries’ access to financing, increase the costs thereof, and increase requirements to post additional collateral to support outstanding commodity positions, LOCs and other financial guarantees, changes in national and regional economic conditions affecting us, our subsidiaries and our major industrial and commercial customers, and other counterparties including fuel suppliers, with which we do business, issues concerning the stability of domestic and foreign financial institutions and counterparties with which we do business, the risks and other factors discussed from time to time in our SEC filings, and other similar factors. The foregoing review of factors should not be construed as exhaustive. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all such factors, nor assess the impact of any such factor on the business of FirstEnergy or the Companies or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. FirstEnergy and the Companies expressly disclaim any current intention to update, except as required by law, any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

www.firstenergycorp.com

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

CONTACT: News Media: Tricia Ingraham, +1-330-384-5247; Investor: Irene Prezelj, +1-330-384-3859

Web Site: http://www.firstenergycorp.com

MSHA reports coal mine fatality in West Virginia

Editor — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:08:12 +0000

Fatality #6 - February 19, 2013

Powered Haulage - Underground – West Virginia

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COAL MINE FATALITY - On Tuesday, February 19, 2013, a 44-year old shuttle car operator, with four years of experience, was killed when he was pinned underneath the battery end of a sectionscoop.

The accident occurred on the No. 3 Section in the first connecting crosscut inby the feeder between the Number 5 and 6 entries. The victim was shoveling along the ribs of the crosscut when abattery-powered scoop backed into

the crosscut, striking him.

http://www.msha.gov/FATALS/2013/FAB13c06.asp

Missouri Division of Finance reaccredited

Editor — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:07:23 +0000

Missouri Division of Finance reaccredited

Division has been accredited since 1987

Jefferson City, Mo. – The Missouri Division of Finance has been reaccredited by a national association of state regulators. The Conference of State Bank Supervisors informed the division today that its accreditation has been renewed for the fifth time.

The division regulates state-chartered banks, trust companies, consumer credit facilities, mortgage brokers and originators, and savings and loan institutions. Its primary objectives include ensuring the safety and soundness of those institutions and the monitoring of compliance with laws and regulations, thereby ensuring bank deposits are safe and consumers are protected.

“Our team in the Division of Finance is committed to providing quality supervision of the institutions we regulate. This accreditation reaffirms our commitment to protect consumers and maintain a strong banking system in Missouri,” said John M. Huff, director of the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration.

The division has been accredited by the national association since 1987. The accreditation certifies that the division maintains the highest standards and practices in state banking supervision set by the CSBS accreditation program. These objectives are carried out by a team of dedicated commercial bank examiners, specialized trust examiners, mortgage specialists, consumer credit examiners and an office support staff.

A team from the national association performed an on-site review of the division in Jefferson City. The accreditation process looks at all division operations, including administration, examination and training.

Missouri ranks fifth in the nation in the number of state-chartered banks with 265. They have assets of more than $96 billion. A searchable listing of banks is available on the division’s website. Consumers can file complaints or ask general questions about state-chartered banks online or by calling 573-751-3242.

Interior, Energy, EPA Commit to Cooperative Working Group to Achieve Shared Goals on Navajo Generating Station in Arizona

Editor — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:44:37 +0000

WASHINGTON - Today the Department of the Interior, Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency released a joint statement that lays out the agencies’ shared goals for Navajo Generating Station (NGS) and energy production in the region served by NGS.

In the statement, the three agencies agree they will work together to support Arizona and tribal stakeholders in finding ways to produce “clean, affordable and reliable power, affordable and sustainable water supplies, and sustainable economic development, while minimizing negative impacts on those who currently obtain significant benefits from NGS, including tribal nations.”

In addition to identifying shared goals, the statement announces specific activities the agencies intend to take jointly to help achieve those goals. These actions include: 1) creating a long-term DOI-EPA-DOE NGS working group; 2) working with stakeholders to develop an NGS roadmap; 3) committing to complete the second phase of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s report on clean, affordable, and sustainable energy options for NGS; and 4) supporting near-term investments that align with long-term clean energy goals.

A copy of the Joint Statement is available at http://epa.gov/air/tribal/pdfs/130103_statement_ngs.pdf.

NGS is a coal-fired power plant located on the Navajo Indian reservation approximately 15 miles from the Grand Canyon and owned partially by the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). Power from the facility is distributed to customers in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Reclamation’s share of the power is used to move water to tribal, agricultural, and municipal water users in central Arizona.

The Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency oversee other federal responsibilities or interests that relate to NGS. These include tribal trust responsibilities, protection of national parks and wilderness areas, visibility and public health protection, and clean energy development.

EPA Releases First Set of Draft Risk Assessments Under Existing Chemicals Work Plan Effort

Editor — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:42:52 +0000

EPA LOGO

WASHINGTON – EPA today released for public comment draft risk assessments, for particular uses, on five chemicals found in common household products. The draft risk assessments were developed as part of the agency’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Work Plan, which identified common chemicals for review over the coming years to assess any impacts on people’s health and the environment. Following public comment, the agency will seek an independent, scientific peer review of the assessments before beginning to finalize them in the fall of 2013.

“The draft risk assessments released today for public review and comment highlight the agency’s ongoing commitment to ensure the safety of chemicals we encounter in our daily lives,” said James J. Jones, acting assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “The public and scientific peer review will ensure use of the best science to evaluate any impacts of these substances on people’s health and the environment.”

The five assessments address the following chemical uses: methylene chloride or dichloromethane (DCM) and n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) in paint stripper products; trichloroethylene (TCE) as a degreaser and a spray-on protective coating; antimony trioxide (ATO) as a synergist in halogenated flame retardants; and 1,3,4,6,7,8-Hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8,-hexamethylcyclopenta-[?]-2-benzopyran (HHCB) as a fragrance ingredient in commercial and consumer products. The draft assessments focus either on human health or ecological hazards for specific uses which are subject to regulation under TSCA. Three of the draft risk assessments— DCM, NMP, and TCE— indicate a potential concern for human health under specific exposure scenarios for particular uses. The preliminary assessments for ATO and HHCB indicate a low concern for ecological health.

EPA recommends the public follow product label directions and take precautions that can reduce exposures, such as using the product outside or in an extremely well ventilated area and wearing protective equipment to reduce exposure. If EPA concludes in finalizing the risk assessments that there is a potential for concern, the agency will take action as appropriate to address possible risks.

The draft assessments were undertaken as part of EPA’s efforts to identify chemicals for review under the TSCA Work Plan, which EPA released in March 2012. At that time, EPA identified 83 chemicals as candidates for review over the coming years and outlined the data sources and other information the agency would use in the reviews. This initiative is part of EPA’s comprehensive approach to enhance the current chemicals management program within the limits of existing TSCA authorities. EPA continues to support updating TSCA to strengthen and modernize the law.

Additional information on the TSCA Work Plan effort and the specific draft risk assessments can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/workplans.html

PennWell Acquires Power Generation and Transmission Data Business

Editor — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:39:45 +0000

– PennWell Corporation, a diversified global media and information company, announced today that it has acquired TransmissionHub, GenerationHub, and related subscription and data businesses from Colorado-based Energy Central. The acquisition adds new offerings to PennWell’s growing information and mapping business for the electric power industry. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

TransmissionHub and GenerationHub are online, interactive intelligence services for professionals who build, own, operate, regulate or invest in the electric power infrastructure in North America. TransmissionHub was launched in October 2011 to track and provide daily and weekly newsletters, reports and analysis of U.S. transmission projects including detailed profiles of 658 projects comprising over 65,000 miles of new transmission lines. GenerationHub was launched in March 2012 to create detailed information and daily and weekly reporting, statistics and data on 6,600 power plants and their operations in the U.S. Both TransmissionHub and GenerationHub are organized in searchable and sortable databases that include articles, source documents and maps.

In addition to TransmissionHub and GenerationHub, the business includes the database and subscription service Fossil Fuels Tracker, which is updated daily to provide coal plant retirements, environment and emission control and compliance projects, and proposed fossil-fueled electric plants. The weekly Coal Insider newsletter covers coal companies, supply and production issues, and coal-fired generation and environmental regulations. As part of the purchase, PennWell also acquired the TransForum East, TransForum West and TransForum Texas regional conferences which offer networking and conference sessions covering a range of topics such as regulatory issues and the impact of national policy on the building and operations of power plants.

Robert F. Biolchini, president and CEO of PennWell, said, “These electric power databases and intelligence services provide an exceptional fit with PennWell’s growing suite of data and information products for the oil and gas and electric power industries. TransmissionHub, GenerationHub, and Fossil Fuel Tracker provide robust data, reports and intelligence that will pair perfectly with our best-in-class geospatial data for electric power and renewable energy offered by our MAPSearch business and our innovative online and mobile mapping platform called ENvision.”

Biolchini noted that the business will be managed by Edward Metz, general manager of MAPSearch, adding he was pleased Energy Central CEO Steve Drazga decided that this data and subscription business would have a good home with PennWell. Seven employees will be joining PennWell. They include Kent Knutson, director of data strategy and content; Rosy Lum, TransmissionHub chief analyst;Barry Cassell, GenerationHub and Coal Insider chief analyst; Wayne Barber, GenerationHub chief analyst;Carl Dombek, TransmissionHub senior editor; Corina Rivera-Lineras, TransmissionHub senior analyst, andEmily Rector, sales representative. PennWell’s MAPSearch and ENvision businesses are based both inHouston and at the Company’s headquarters in Tulsa.

As part of MAPSearch, the TransmissionHub, GenerationHub, and Fossil Fuel Tracker will complement PennWell’s publishing and conference and exhibition businesses for the global power industry. PennWell owns and operates POWER-GEN International, the largest power generation trade show held annually inNorth America covering 300,000 net square feet for 1,200 exhibitors and 22,000 attendees. POWER-GEN events are also held annually in Europe, Russia, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Brazil. PennWell’s DistribuTECH is the largest annual conference and exhibition in North America for the transmission and distribution segment of the industry, covering 125,000 net square feet for 380 exhibitors and 8,500 attendees, and has recently expanded to include new DistribuTECH conferences and exhibitions in Brazil and South Africa. PennWell publishes business-to-business magazines Power Engineering, Power Engineering International, Electric Light & Power, POWER-GRID International, Utility Products, Cogeneration & On-Site Power Production, Hydro Review, Hydro Review Worldwide, Renewable Energy World, and REW.com.

About PennWell Corporation

Founded in 1910 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, PennWell Corporation is a privately held and highly diversified business-to-business media and information company that provides quality content and integrated marketing solutions for the following industries: Oil and gas, electric power generation and delivery, hydropower, renewable energy, water and wastewater treatment, waste management, electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, optoelectronics, fiber-optics, aerospace and avionics, LEDs and lighting, fire and emergency services, public safety, and dental. PennWell publishes over 130 print and online magazines and newsletters, conducts 60 conferences and exhibitions on six continents, and has an extensive offering of books, maps, websites, research and database services. In addition to PennWell’s headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Company has major offices in Nashua, New Hampshire; London, England; Houston, Texas; San Diego and Mountain View, California; Fairlawn, New Jersey; Moscow, Russia; and Hong Kong, China.

About Energy Central

Energy Central is a 17-year old media, publishing and knowledge services company serving the global power industry. Throughout its history, Energy Central has created and delivered industry-defining products, focused primarily on the North American power industry. Those product lines include Energy Central, reaching global power industry professionals; EnergyBiz, focused on power industry executives; Intelligent Utility, reaching smart grid professionals; and Utility Analytics Institute, reaching power industry analytics professionals. The company, headquartered in Aurora, CO, has a strong presence on-line, including the above brands and its job board at EnergyCentralJobs.com. Energy Central also publishesEnergyBiz and Intelligent Utility magazines, and produces summits, forums and conferences for power industry professionals.

Contact: Jayne Gilsinger
918-832-9303; jayneg@pennwell.com

SOURCE PennWell Corporation