Tagged: Governor Steve Beshear

Nine million tons of Appalachian coal will be heading to India this year, after a new deal was announced yesterday between several Kentucky coal producers and an Indian company. This is good news for the struggling Kentucky coal industry—but it may not be enough.

Coal mines in Kentucky and West Virginia will send millions of tons of coal to India, under the terms of a 25-year contract that was signed today.

The $7 billion deal between FJS Energy, a New Jersey-based energy company, and a coal group in India will send 6 to 9 million tons of coal annually for use in Indian power plants and steel production. There are coal mines in India, too, but production is unable to meet growing demands.

Governor Steve Beshear's office has confirmed that Beshear's Chief of Staff, Mike Haydon, has died. A cause of death wasn't immediately available.

Most of Kentucky's elected Democrats will skip this weekend's annual Fancy Farm picnic.  As of Wednesday, House Speaker Greg Stumbo is the only high profile Democrat scheduled to speak. Stumbo is filling in for the governor, who’s on an economic development trip in Europe. Lieutenant Governor Jerry Abramson and the four remaining statewide elected Democratic officials are opting not to speak. 

An overseas economic trip will prevent Governor Steve Beshear from participating in this year’s Fancy Farm political speaking. 

The governor’s office announced that Beshear will be in Germany and France for the next few weeks to encourage companies there to bring business to Kentucky. 

In May, the governor took a similar trip to Taiwan and Japan. 

House Speaker Greg Stumbo will speak as the Kentucky Democratic Party’s main representative in place of Beshear.