Naasz Chosen To Lead 
National Mining Association

  The National Mining Association (NMA), headquartered in Washington, D.C., announced the selection of Kraig R. Naasz as president and CEO, effective September 6. In his new position, Naasz will advance the public policy objectives of the nation's domestic mining industry at a time of unparalleled demand for the coal, minerals and metals produced by NMA's member companies. 
    "We're delighted to have someone with Kraig's proven leadership and management abilities join the association. His strong record of achievement and innovative thinking will serve the industry well as we continue to build on NMA's recent accomplishments," said NMA Chairman John Brinzo, chairman and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc, on behalf of the association's Board of Directors. 
    "My thanks go to the members of NMA's Board who served on the search committee and to NMA's staff for their outstanding devotion and performance during this transition. Today's modern mining industry has an exciting future, and we look forward to further strengthening NMA to take full advantage of the opportunities before us," Brinzo concluded. 
    Naasz joins the National Mining Association following three years as President of The Fertilizer Institute (TFI). Prior to his tenure at TFI, he served as President and CEO of the U.S. Apple Association and as vice president of the Northwest Horticultural Council. From 1984 through 1992, he worked in various staff capacities on Capitol Hill. Naasz replaces Jack Gerard, who became President and CEO of the American Chemistry Council in July. 
    Naasz, 44, is a native of Yakima, Wash., and a graduate of Washington State University. He and his wife, Heather, and their eight-year-old daughter, Nadika, currently reside in Vienna, VA. cl

Energy Bill At Last

    President Bush recently signed the energy bill into law and stated that is a critical first step. "After years of debate and division, Congress passed a good bill. It's a first step toward a more affordable and reliable energy future for the American citizens. This bill is not going to solve our energy challenges overnight. Most of the serious problems, such as high gasoline costs, or the rising dependence on foreign oil, have developed over decades. It's going to take years of focused effort to alleviate those problems. But we're going to have a strategy that will help us do that," said the President.
    This bill will allow America to make cleaner and more productive use of our domestic energy resources, including coal, and nuclear power, and oil and natural gas. By using these reliable sources to supply more of our energy, we'll reduce our reliance on energy from foreign countries, and that will help this economy grow so people can work. 
    The bill offers Clean Coal Incentives. Coal is America's most abundant energy resource. It accounts for more than one-half of our electricity production. The challenge is to develop ways to take advantage of our coal resources while keeping our air clean. The bill authorizes new funding for clean-coal technology and takes steps to develop the world's first zero-emission coal-fired power plant. cl

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