Campbell County WY job losses.

[tarheel]

Does the recent coal slack-off in Campbell County WY have any effect on any members or their families? My adopted daughter and her husband are out of work in Gillette.

This has been an up and down industry for a long time.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...uZp9IY&usg=AFQjCNGLLLpyUZgrgMMQKz2SGiTA2-tzIw

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...prine/&usg=AFQjCNEEedf3DM0EnW0lysWlPealUhnMww

 

[shootbrownelk]

Wyoming's coal industries are not in a slack-off but a full blown nose dive. Peabody coal just announced it is seeking bankruptcy protection, along with Alpha and others. Pretty sad, it affects people and business statewide. 500 miners laid off last week. I seriously doubt coal will ever "Come back" unless somebody comes up with a use for it, other than burning it. Low natural gas prices drove the stake into the heart of coal I'm afraid.

 

[BuzzH]

I think it has an impact on anyone that lives in Wyoming.

That's one of the problems with resource extraction...there is a long history of the "boom and bust" economy that follows it.

I think States like Wyoming would put themselves in a better place if those representing us would spend as much effort looking for long-term sustainable industry/business as they do trying to save resource extraction.

There has to be a balance, where we extract resources wisely and try to do so on a sustainable basis...and avoid the boom bust cycle. That's easy to say, but largely coal, oil, energy, prices drive a lot of that boom bust...so tougher to do in reality.

At the same time we're trying to smartly develop natural resources, it would be wise to attract long term businesses that don't rely entirely on resource extraction.

We should do more with the tourism, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, etc. etc. to attract both people and businesses associated with same to set up shop here in Wyoming.

Instead of doing that, people like Barrasso, Enzi, and Lummis focus 100% of their energy on a dying industry while also doing nothing for, and is some cases, working against, the importance of tourism and public lands to our economy.

They've all been made aware of this and continue to do the wrong thing...as per the Republican Party platform...smart.

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

Coal could be a more viable fuel source if adding scrubber technologies to existing power plants were subsidized rather than penalizing the fuel into the ground. Its possible to burn fossil fuels cleanly with enough scrubbers for the emissions the same way we use urea scrubbers on diesel engines. The efficiency of power generation isn't so much reliant on the heat source as the efficiency of regeneration and turbines. Emissions killed coal mining in Missouri in the 1970's because of its high sulfur content in favor of Wyoming's cleaner coal and now it looks like the EPA is killing coal all together.

 

[tarheel]

Duke Energy currently is down to 7 coal fired plants operating in NC, one shut down in 2011, 3 in 2012, and 3 in 2013. One has converted to natural gas and two are seeking conversion to biomass, but the long term effects are already at the door.
The state recommends that you consume only one 6oz serving of high mercury fish per week and no more than 4 servings of low mercury per week. The high mercury list for ocean fish is 17 different species and fresh water is 8 species which includes everything in the state with the exception of bluegill and trout and farm raised crayfish, tilapia and catfish. For a people who have a long history of fish consumption it makes for a gloomy picture. Most of the plants are in the West and central part of the state with the prevailing winds moving across the state from West to East, so the mercury problem will be in the food chain for quite some time.

 

[sbhooper]

Obama made it clear that he was going to put coal out of business. I don't have a problem with it, if they phased it out and had another cheap source of energy, instead of making it just crash and burn. Coal loss will cost everybody a lot in energy prices. Obamas sick policies cause a trickle-down effect. Coal goes, then the railroads that haul it go and so on and so on. Lots of those people could end up on federal assistance, which is also in his plan.

With the crash in oil and coal, Wyoming could be looking at an income tax before long-not good.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I don't know how it is in Wyoming, but here in western Va, and also West Virginia it has hit hard. The worst part here is that all the companies are owned out of state so all of the money at the top gets spent elsewhere. Its sad to see hard working people without a job. Meanwhile others sit at home making babies and collect a handout. Its the same dynamic here with politicians. More coal is the answer. Yes, its the answer and its been wrong for quite some time now. I'm with Buzz, until there is real investment in a real industry it will continue to be boom and bust for middle class workers.

 

[BuzzH]

Its really going to suck if I cant find coal to burn in my wall tent stove at elk camp...I'll tell you that.

 

[tarheel]

Its really going to suck if I cant find coal to burn in my wall tent stove at elk camp...I'll tell you that.

Buzz, you'll just have to find the right piece of track and walk it with coal shuttle or a burlap bag in hand the way some people have done through the Depression and right on 'til now. I've heard more than one old timer tell of doing that when they were kids.

 

[HSi-ESi]

The writing has been on the wall for Coal for sometime now - but it's tough to see folks go through a Bust cycle. Hopefully many were planning ahead for it.

I think WY is coming up with some new industries - although it might be tough for some of the miners to get a job here: New job opportunity

I'm sure house-hold use levels of Coal will still be around for sometime. There's enough folks in WY that heat their house with it.

 

[Nameless Range]

My brother works in an career that is dependent upon coal in SE Montana. Things are looking bleak, so he has had to get creative to find work.

Coal isn't dead, and it will be needed for as long as anyone on this forum is alive. The fat cats hedged their bets on demand trends that were unsustainable, but why wouldn't they? When Patriot Coal went bankrupt in 2012, they "restructured" to avoid paying off the pensions of those who had worked for companies they had absorbed, all the while paying their executives 7 Million $ dollars in bonuses.

http://www.vox.com/2016/4/13/11420882/peabody-energy-bankruptcy-coal

Extractive industries will always be boom and bust. That's not a bad thing in and of itself, but don't count on those industries to give a salient chit about their employees or the land once the game is over. Wyoming has hedged heavily on coal. Hopefully they find a way through.

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

Coal isn't gone for good, but for the foreseeable future natural gas is much cheaper and cleaner. That could change over time as we see environmental regulation on fracking and shale extraction hike up. As of now 4 of the 5 coal fired power plants in NE Illinois won't make the new restrictions and are more expensive to retrofit to natural gas than build new. Get a few super fund fracking clean up projects and the $47/barrel break even point might got to $70 really quickly. We could also see huge subsidies pop up the way congress props up ethanol fuel production on what is a negative energy product. There hasn't been a new Nuclear power plant built in the US in 25 years which is a shame, but I don't see that changing either.

Solar and wind power are largely nothing more than a supplementary power until we have more smart grids and inexpensive efficient large scale power storage sites. I would argue that is the biggest technological hurdle of my generation.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

Wyoming's coal industries are not in a slack-off but a full blown nose dive. Peabody coal just announced it is seeking bankruptcy protection, along with Alpha and others. Pretty sad, it affects people and business statewide. 500 miners laid off last week. I seriously doubt coal will ever "Come back" unless somebody comes up with a use for it, other than burning it. Low natural gas prices drove the stake into the heart of coal I'm afraid.

Asia right now has a huge market for coal, but there are issues getting it out of the country and getting it there.

 

[shootbrownelk]

Asia right now has a huge market for coal, but there are issues getting it out of the country and getting it there.

Dude, to say there are issues on shipping coal to the west coast is an understatement.
Almost every state along the proposed route doesn't want coal shipped through it. And several proposed ports are refusing to accept the coal. I guess Governor Mead says his people are "working on it" but in reality, what can they do if the states don't want it passing through them? O'Bummer & his EPA stooges will do everything they can to (pardon the pun) derail the project, just like they did to the Keystone pipeline. If Over-the-Hillary gets elected, expect more of the same. She was quoted on National TV saying, "We'll put coal miners out of business". She means it.

 

[hank4elk]

The recent decision by the Government on the issues that the extraction industry knew were coming and have done nothing about and that would affect their bottom line is telling.
The Bankruptsy BS from Peabody is also telling and SOP.
Now they will expect US to pay them and clean up their messes.

Hope those who worked coal have a can of $ buried,cause you sure won't get a pension or any retirement ,but the big stockholders & head creeps sure have theirs stashed away offshore with no taxes paid.
They told me 35 yrs ago I should find a new trade,as I would not get a decent job as a carpenter much more...and I never got any other advice except ,"Find a different trade".
They have been telling coal guys that for just as long,now it hits.
They got theirs.
Hope you have some lube cause you are about to get yours....

 

[TheDudeAbides]

Dude, to say there are issues on shipping coal to the west coast is an understatement.
Almost every state along the proposed route doesn't want coal shipped through it. And several proposed ports are refusing to accept the coal. I guess Governor Mead says his people are "working on it" but in reality, what can they do if the states don't want it passing through them? O'Bummer & his EPA stooges will do everything they can to (pardon the pun) derail the project, just like they did to the Keystone pipeline. If Over-the-Hillary gets elected, expect more of the same. She was quoted on National TV saying, "We'll put coal miners out of business". She means it.

It's a complex issue. The mines, railroads, industrial construction, coal power plants that do not convert will all have lay offs.

Not to mention natural gas prices will go up to be just cheaper than green energy if coal is eliminated.

It is one of the reasons Tedward "Sell all public lands " Cruz is a popular candidate. Well that and people think Trump is working for Hillary.

Only to replace the coal jobs with mythical manufacturing jobs.

It's a tough situation all the way around.

 

[James Riley]

The EPA is not perfect. But neither is the air or water in China. I remember well when L.A. looked like Beijing and rivers caught fire in Ohio. Our industry would have us believe they did the right thing without a gun to their head. In truth, after the government started kicking ass, industry itself got on board and started to champion environmental regulations which they could afford to comply with but their smaller, start-up competition could not (anti-trust, unfair competition, crushing the little guy?), and then they got to turn around and PR to America how green they are. And, at the same time, they get to whine to the troops about burdensome government regulation. I won't even get in to the private sector industries that make a killing in the compliance business, often goading government to increase regs "To protect the health and welfare of the people" rolleyes while milking the industries that are now forced to comply.

And the environmentalists get blamed for all of it. :W:

 

[shootbrownelk]

It's a complex issue. The mines, railroads, industrial construction, coal power plants that do not convert will all have lay offs.

Not to mention natural gas prices will go up to be just cheaper than green energy if coal is eliminated.

It is one of the reasons Tedward "Sell all public lands " Cruz is a popular candidate. Well that and people think Trump is working for Hillary.

Only to replace the coal jobs with mythical manufacturing jobs.

It's a tough situation all the way around.

Well Dude, I knew we were in trouble with jobs here in the States when I found out they're going to make OREO cookies in Mexico! Shamefull indeed!!

 

[WV Hunter]

LOL, Wyoming is the only one doing any good with coal.

Welcome to West Virginia.......

Until steel is needed again, the industry will never be close to what it was.