More layoffs in coal country

Oct 23 - Logan Banner, The (WV)

 

After warning in August that hundreds of miners could lose their jobs, Boone County -based Coal River Energy has laid off 130 mine workers. Coal River Energy spokesman James "Skeets" Loving confirmed the layoffs Tuesday.

In August, the company warned that 280 mine workers could be out of jobs. Loving said the company laid off 130 employees on Oct. 11 , while keeping 94 workers and finding other work for 56 others.

The affected mining areas are located near the border of Boone and Kanawha counties. Some are underground and some are surface mines, including the Fork Creek 3 and Fork Creek 10 underground mines, Surface Mine 67 and Surface Mine 9.

The company pointed to poor coal markets and federal regulations.

Perhaps regulations such as President Barrack Obama partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency to form a new rule to lower the effects that greenhouse gases have on the environment.

The proposed EPA rule from earlier this year has three main goals: cut carbon pollution in America, prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change and lead international efforts to combat global climate change and prepare for its impacts. The plan is to cut greenhouse emissions to 30 percent of the 2005 levels by 2030.

According to the United States Chamber of Commerce , the rule's effect on the national economy could be detrimental, costing the country $8.8 billion annually. But what about the local economy?

That rule was proposed June 2 of this year and has since wrecked havoc throughout the southern coalfields of West Virginia .

For example, Coal River Energy is not the first company to incite layoffs since the announcement. Just last month a 60-day WARN notice, dated Sept. 9 , was issued to Patriot Coal Corp. employees in Boone County . According to the Patriot Coal Corp. press release, Patriot Coal Corp. issued WARN Act notices at the Corridor G mining complex located near Danville . The Corridor G complex, which includes the Hobet 21 Mine and Beth Station preparation plant, employs 360 people and produced 2.3 million tons of thermal coal in 2013.

Alpha Natural Resources and Cliffs Natural Resources have experienced similar layoffs, all with the same explanation as to why -- the same reason given by Coal River Energy: poor coal markets and federal regulations.

The EPA's proposed "Clean Power Plant" Rule is open for public comment until December 1 of this year, and many West Virginia officials have been urging West Virginians to take advantage of this opportunity for public input.

Comments on the Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule must be received by December 1 and may be submitted by one of the following methods referencing the Docket ID, EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602:

-- Federal eRulemaking portal: Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.

-- Email A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov : Include docket ID in the subject line of the message

-- Fax comments to 202-566-9744

-- Mail: Environmental Protection Agency , EPA Docket Center ( EPA /DC), Mailcode 28221T, Attention Docket ID No. OAR -- 2013-0602, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW ., Washington, DC 20460.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this story

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