With 35 years of experience in coal, limestone and sand mining, Grable will help expedite the permitting process for NAG’s leases.
He has served as commissioner for the Department for Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and worked for eight years as an energy advisor to then-state governor Patton during his appointment as the Kentucky Coal Council’s executive director. He also advised the US Department of Energy as a Southern States Energy Board member when attending the Southern Governors' Association.
Additionally, Grable assisted coal companies in marketing solutions and matters relating to federal and state government agencies, and was involved in drafting state mining safety environmental regulations such as pre-mining degasification.
"Adding the expertise of William Grable to our advisory board is a major step in advancing our mining operations in the state of Kentucky," NAG president Charles Desjardins said.
"With the combined experience of recently announced Deborah Moses and William Grable, I believe that we have the right team in place to be a long-term coal producer."
NAG announced its engagement of Moses, the southeast director for engineering consulting services, earlier this month. She will perform engineering services at NAG’s Kentucky and West Virginia coal operations.
Under the producer’s agreement, Moses will be included in engineering services decisions while evaluating coal leases for their development potential. She will also oversee the mine permit and preparation of the mine plan application.
Blue Gem seam coal is especially attractive to NAG, which will globally market the specialty coal typically used in silicon metal production.
In total, the producer holds about 5000 acres of coal reserve leases in Knox and Whitley counties in Kentucky, and is actively developing eight leases for permits.
Based in Vancouver, North American Gem has a coal focus in Saskatchewan, Kentucky and West Virginia.
Check out an overview of NAG’s No. 1 and No. 2 operations in the March 2010 issue of Coal USA, out soon.
