Coal miner Consol Energy Inc launched an attack on environmentalists blaming ecological activism for forcing it to idle two mines in West Virginia that employ nearly 500 workers.

Mr Nicholas DeIuliis COO of Consol Energy said that "It is unfortunate, at a time when reliable and affordable energy is so desperately needed to reinvigorate our economy, that the nation's energy industries are coming under repeated assault from nuisance lawsuits and appeals of environmental regulations. He added that “It is challenging enough to operate our coal and gas assets in the current economic downturn without having to contend with a constant stream of activism in rehashing and reinterpreting permit applications that have already been approved.”

His comments came in a press release announcing that about 104 workers at the Little Eagle Coal Co mine and 378 at the Fola Coal Co mine, near Bickmore West Virginia might have to be laid off starting next Feb 7.

Consol attributed the Fola idling to an appeal brought under clean water and other laws, by the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition against mining permits which have already been approved.

As a result of the OVEC appeal, a federal judge issued an order suspending Fola Coal Co's Clean Water Act permit for the Ike Fork portions of Fola operations.

Consol said that "Without this permit, neither Fola Coal Company nor Little Eagle Coal Company can satisfy the required specifications of its coal sales contracts.”

(Sourced from Reuters.com)