Robert E. Murray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert E. Murray
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Robert Murray in 2019
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Robert Edward Murray
January 13, 1940 Martins Ferry, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | (aged 80) St. Clairsville, Ohio, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Ohio State University (BE) |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Brenda Lou Moore |
| Children | 3 |
Robert Edward Murray (born January 13, 1940 – died October 25, 2020) was an American mining engineer and businessman. He started and led Murray Energy, a large company that mined coal. This company was based in St. Clairsville, Ohio.
Murray Energy later faced financial problems and filed for bankruptcy. Robert Murray was known for not believing in climate change. He also faced criticism for how he handled the Crandall Canyon Mine collapse. He was also involved in several big lawsuits against news reporters and others.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Murray was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio, on January 13, 1940. He shared stories about working in a coal mine from a young age. He said he started working at 16 to help his family. He also mentioned having several accidents in the mine. These included a head injury and being trapped underground for hours.
Murray was a top student at Bethesda High School in 1957. He went on to study mining at Ohio State University. He earned a degree in Mining Engineering. He also took a special business program at Harvard Business School.
Career in Mining
Murray started his career at the North American Coal Corporation (NACC). He worked in many different roles there. By 1969, he became the vice president of operations. From 1974 to 1983, he was in charge of NACC's Western Division. This division included four smaller companies in North Dakota. In 1983, he became the president and CEO of NACC.
Murray was also part of many important groups in the mining industry. These included the National Mining Association and the American Coal Foundation. He was also a leader in the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers.
Starting Murray Energy
In 1988, Robert Murray started his own company, Murray Energy. He bought a mine called Powhatan No. 6. At first, he focused on mining a type of coal called bituminous coal. He believed this coal would be in high demand for making electricity. Later, his company also mined metallurgical coal. This type of coal is used to make steel.
In 2017, Murray wrote to the White House. He said his company and a big customer, FirstEnergy Solutions, might go bankrupt. He asked for an emergency order to help coal power plants.
On October 29, 2019, Murray Energy Holdings, Co. filed for bankruptcy. Robert Murray stepped down as CEO that same day. However, he remained chairman of the board for the new company. His nephew, Robert D. Moore, became the new president and CEO. Many employees worried about losing their pensions and health benefits. Murray was the last major company to contribute to the United Mine Workers of America's pension plan.
The Crandall Canyon Mine Collapse
In August 2007, a serious accident happened at the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah. Six miners became trapped underground. This mine was partly owned and run by a Murray Energy company. Three rescue workers also died trying to save the miners. After many attempts, it was clear the miners had not survived. Their bodies were never found. Before the collapse, the mine had received many safety warnings.
Robert Murray said that a natural earthquake caused the collapse. He said that the mining method used, called retreat mining, was not to blame. He strongly disagreed with anyone who said retreat mining was the cause.
However, experts like Seismologists and government officials disagreed with Murray. They said the mine collapse caused the tremor, not a natural earthquake. They believed the mining method was responsible. The government's top mine safety official, Richard E. Stickler, stated clearly that it was not a natural earthquake. Studies by universities also supported this view.
On July 24, 2008, the U.S. government's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced a large fine. The company that ran the mine was fined $1.34 million for safety violations. These violations directly led to the miners' deaths. Another company was also fined for bad analysis of the mine's design.
Robert Murray was also criticized for his behavior during the rescue efforts. The MSHA reported that he often became very angry and yelled during meetings with the families. He even made young children cry. He told families that the media and the union were lying to them.
Political Involvement
Robert Murray and his company were very active in politics. From 2005 to 2018, they gave over $1 million to Republican candidates.
After a mine disaster in 2006, some states wanted to make laws for miners to wear tracking devices. Murray spoke out against these laws. He said they were "misguided" and that politicians were rushing to pass them. He believed the federal government should study the issue and create uniform safety rules. He also argued that the tracking devices did not work well deep underground.
In 2012, Robert Murray hosted Mitt Romney, a Republican presidential candidate, at one of his coal mines. Some miners complained that they were forced to attend the event without pay. Murray's company said attendance was required because the event was important for the coal industry.
In October 2012, a group filed a complaint against Murray and his company. They claimed that employees were required to give a part of their salary to the company's political group.
After the 2012 presidential election, Murray laid off many workers. He blamed the Obama administration for what he called a "war on coal."
During the 2016 presidential election, Murray Energy gave a lot of money to Donald Trump's inauguration. Murray also gave a list of energy actions he wanted to see happen. These included helping coal and nuclear power plants and reducing environmental rules. He gave this list to Vice President Mike Pence and Donald Trump.
Murray continued to work on energy issues with politicians until he passed away.
Views on Climate Change
Robert Murray did not agree with the widely accepted scientific view on climate change. In 2007, he told a U.S. Senate committee that the science of global warming was "suspect." He also wrote that the environmental risk from carbon emissions was "highly speculative."
He called Al Gore, a well-known environmentalist, "the shaman of global gloom and doom." Murray believed that proposed laws to fight global warming would harm the coal industry and make electricity much more expensive.
After the 2016 election, Murray urged Donald Trump to pull the United States out of international agreements on climate change. He said that "so-called global warming is a total hoax."
Lawsuits and the Media
Robert Murray filed many lawsuits against journalists and newspapers. He sued them for defamation, claiming they published false information about him. However, none of these lawsuits ended in his favor. He sued reporters from various newspapers and even threatened others.
Lawsuit Against Last Week Tonight
In 2017, Murray sent a legal letter to the TV show Last Week Tonight. This happened after the show tried to get comments about the coal industry. The show went ahead with an episode where host John Oliver talked about the Crandall Canyon Mine collapse. Oliver shared his opinion that Murray did not do enough to keep his miners safe.
Murray and his companies then sued John Oliver, the show's writers, the network HBO, and its owner. They claimed that Oliver encouraged viewers to harm Murray and his companies. The ACLU got involved. They said the lawsuit was a clear attempt to stop free speech.
The lawsuit against HBO was later dismissed in February 2018. After Murray dropped an appeal, John Oliver discussed the lawsuit on his show. He explained that Murray had filed the lawsuit in a state where it was harder to stop such cases. HBO had to pay $200,000 in legal fees.
Personal Life and Health
Robert Murray lived in Moreland Hills, Ohio, with his wife, Brenda Lou Moore. They had three children.
Murray stated that he suffered from a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This condition causes scarring in the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. In September 2020, he applied for black lung benefits. This was notable because, while running his companies, Murray had often challenged claims from miners seeking black lung benefits. He had also spoken against federal rules meant to reduce black lung disease.
Helping Others
Robert Murray was also involved in helping his community. In 2009, Murray Energy gave money to help build modern mine training centers. These were at West Virginia University and Southeastern Illinois College. Murray also made a personal gift of $1 million to West Virginia University. This was the largest single donation to their research fund. The university honored him by naming a mining engineering leadership position after him.
In 2018, Murray donated over $1.2 million for a new building at the East Richland Christian School. This large center was planned to have a gym, kitchen, and classrooms. It would be used by the school, a local church, and the community.
Murray also volunteered with the Ohio River Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Death
Robert Murray passed away on October 25, 2020. He was 80 years old. His death came less than a week after he announced his retirement.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Murray para niños
