OhioAmerican Closes Operations, Murray Blames Obama EPA

According to the most recent Mine Safety and Health Administration figures, OhioAmerican Energy’s Salt Run surface mine produced 832,000 tons of bituminous coal in 2011 and employed 56 people. Prior to this announcement, Murray Energy laid off 29 employees at Ohio Valley’s Powhatan No. 6 mine. “There will be additional layoffs, not only at Murray Energy, but also throughout the U.S. coal industry due to Mr. Obama’s ‘War on Coal’ and the destruction that it has caused to so many jobs and families in the Ohio Valley area and elsewhere,” said Ryan M. Murray, vice president of operations, Murray Energy.