Once again, Americans employed in the coal industry are losing jobs thanks in part to federal regulations under the Obama administration.The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports today, “Consol Energy has told officials and workers that it will idle a West Virginia surface mine and lay off approximately 145 employees starting at the end of the year. The Cecil-based coal and natural gas company blamed the idling on permit delays that have slowed necessary environmental permit approval at its Miller Creek operations. It said it has been working on securing permits related to the Clean Water Act since November 2007, and said it continues to work through permit delays.”

The AP adds, “Consol has sought U.S. Environmental Protection Agency permits to redirect the Mingo County operations to mine land that would then become a 5-mile stretch of the King Coal Highway. . . . [Consol President Nicholas J.] DeIuliis noted that while the EPA had relented in objecting to one of the two permits sought, ‘that permit alone is not sufficient to allow miners to begin work.’”

Just last month, the AP reported, “Coal producer Alpha Natural Resources said Tuesday it’s cutting production by 16 million tons and eliminating 1,200 jobs companywide, including 400 with the immediate closing of eight mines in Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. . . . [Chief Executive Officer Kevin] Crutchfield called it ‘a difficult day,’ but said the shutdowns and layoffs are a necessary part of ensuring Alpha survives in what has become a difficult U.S. market, where coal companies face a dual challenge: Power plants are shifting to cheap, abundant natural gas, while companies like his face ‘a regulatory environment that’s aggressively aimed at constraining the use of coal.’”

And of course, these layoffs have effects beyond the jobs for coal workers themselves. Recently, the AP noted that “Norfolk Southern Corp. says it has laid off about 200 workers in the railroad’s divisions based in Bluefield and Roanoke. Robin Chapman of Norfolk Southern tells the Bluefield Daily Telegraph that decreased coal traffic led to the furloughs.”

Related:

OBAMA WILL BANKRUPT THE COAL INDUSTRY Biden: No Coal !!!

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