According to the Associated Press, the recent letter to Southern District of West Virginia US Attorney Booth Goodwin – sent as part of Alpha’s 2011 settlement with the US Department of Justice – says it has added staff and made other changes at its mines.

The news service’s source, the Charleston Gazette, reported no other specifics were disclosed in the communication.

While Goodwin’s office did not respond to an ILN request for more information, the attorney told the West Virginia newspaper he expected to receive more details on the resources it earmarked for its accumulation remediation and rock-dusting efforts.

The letter reportedly confirmed a decline in overall coal-dust violations and said Alpha had worked in tandem with its staff, special teams and outside consultants to examine and rectify safety issues.

Alpha, which purchased Massey’s mines including UBB in June 2011, also did not return an ILN request for comment but told the AP the communication to Goodwin was intended to be private.

The news service said Alpha was expected to provide a progress report on its reform efforts to mines it received in last year’s takeover.

Last month, on the eve of the second anniversary of the mine explosion that killed 29 miners, Alpha announced it would permanently close the UBB mine.

The mine’s portals will be permanently sealed with concrete barriers and areas around the portals will be reclaimed.

All boreholes will be plugged and mine fan shafts capped, barring further access to the mine.

The work is expected to begin soon and to be completed through the northern summer.

Alpha is working on the plan to seal UBB with the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training.

At the time of the explosion Massey Energy Company owned UBB and Alpha acquired the idle mine last June when it bought Massey.

The producer fulfilled another component of its DOJ settlement with the announcement earlier this month that it had established a non-profit organization, Alpha Foundation for the Improvement of Mine Safety and Health.

The producer said the foundation’s mission was to improve mine health and safety by funding the projects of qualified academic institutions, not-for-profit entities and individuals.

Alpha will contribute $48 million to the foundation’s development.

Heading up the organization’s administration and appointed with the approval of the USAO will be three well-known industry figures – West Virginia University College of Engineering and Mineral Resources professor Dr Keith Heasley, University of Massachusetts Lowell emeritus professor of work environment Dr David Wegman and Virginia Tech professor and director of the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research Dr Michael Karmis.

Alpha said it would host an inaugural meeting this summer to discuss funding priorities.

“The safety of our employees is the highest value of our company and mine safety and health is imperative to the success of our industry,” Alpha chief executive officer Kevin Crutchfield said at the time of the announcement.

“We are proud to establish and fund the Alpha Foundation and also appoint three leading experts to advance its objectives.

“This presents a tremendous opportunity to drive the latest developments and innovation in mine safety and health to the benefit of miners around the world.”