The program's keynote was offered by EPA Climate Change director Dina Kruger, who spoke to an industry crowd about developments with US climate policy.

Both domestic and international coal mine methane projects and case studies were hot topics, EPA spokesman Dave Ryan told International Longwall News this week.

Two experts took on Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) in their presentations, the first being Consol Energy's Deborah Kosmack who provided an overview of its oxidation technology at the abandoned West Liberty Mine in West Virginia. That project, Ryan noted, is sponsored by the EPA as well as the US Department of Energy.

"It is the first project in the US to address mitigation of methane emissions from ventilation shafts, which represent the majority of all methane emissions associated with coal mining," the office explained.

"Using simulated ventilation air flows, it is evaluating a range of potential operating conditions that might be experienced at active underground mines."

The second expert presenter was MEGTEC Systems’ Richard Mattus, whose talk focused on the Vocsidizer, a thermal oxidation system utilised at Australia's West Cliff Mine.

"This is the world's first commercial-scale VAM utilisation project," said Ryan.

"It was exciting to have two such innovative and groundbreaking projects discussed at our conference; the audience members had many questions for both presenters and were generally intrigued about the technology and its possible application at active US coal mines."

Talk amongst the industry crowd was plentiful, and the EPA especially noted the "fresh and innovative perspective" that was brought to the event by members of the carbon trading community.

"These companies are somewhat new to coal mine methane projects, and their representatives had many questions about how the industry works and where the opportunities for project development can be found," the agency said.

"They also shared their insights into the possibilities of the rapidly emerging private carbon markets in the US, which may provide additional economic incentives to coal mine methane recovery and utilisation projects."

Also as part of the event, the attendees took part in a field trip to Southern Illinois to view two CMM projects at abandoned operations.

Ryan said plans for future gatherings are now being examined, with annual or biennial events being considered.