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Arch Coal laying off 750 workers in Appalachia

Associated Press -- One of the world's largest coal producers said Thursday it would lay off about 750 workers in the Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia coalfields, the latest setback for an industry struggling to sustain market share as utilities switch to cleaner and cheaper alternatives to generate electricity.

The disappearance of high-paying mining work heightened anxiety in hardscrabble Kentucky towns where officials worried declining demand for coal would result in leaner budgets and more people on unemployment rolls.

Republican U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers, who represents the eastern Kentucky coalfields, said a mild winter, low demand for thermal coal and cheap natural gas prices have factored into the coal industry's struggles. But he said President Barack Obama's administration is also culpable

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Submitted Jun 22, 2012 By: DellDude2

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bigthighs All-Star Author Tucson Posts:550 Points:52,965 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 10:22:56 PM Ignore bigthighs Report Abuse dang
rjhenn Champion Author Des Moines Posts:22,605 Points:2,256,100 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 3:05:45 PM Ignore rjhenn Report Abuse No, not 'just now'.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:15:54 AM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse Just now noticed eh? LOL.
rjhenn Champion Author Des Moines Posts:22,605 Points:2,256,100 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:11:20 AM Ignore rjhenn Report Abuse Oh, I also noticed that that research is 28 years old. Don't you think there might have been some changes in the last 28 years?
rjhenn Champion Author Des Moines Posts:22,605 Points:2,256,100 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jun 25, 2012 5:07:15 PM Ignore rjhenn Report Abuse Doesn't change my original reply any. I might add, isn't that an(other) indictment of our healthcare system?
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 8:56:26 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse You left this out rjhenn..."Johns Hopkins University conducted the first major research on the impacts of unemployment on public health for the Joint Economic Committee of Congress in 1979 and 1984. In the 1984 study, it was found that every 1 percent increase in unemployment resulted in a 2 percent increase in premature deaths."
rjhenn Champion Author Des Moines Posts:22,605 Points:2,256,100 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 7:54:20 PM Ignore rjhenn Report Abuse drpepperTX - "Your editing of the fact posted renders your question as silly." What editing? Your response is silly.
rjhenn Champion Author Des Moines Posts:22,605 Points:2,256,100 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 7:52:34 PM Ignore rjhenn Report Abuse drpepperTX - "henn must of missed the science article posted on GB yesterday, LOL." Interesting, but why do we want to add to the background levels of mercury? "NG plants should be brought on line, phased in economically and smartly while at the same time using today's cleaner coal technologies." And how much does it cost to convert an older coal plant to "today's cleaner coal technologies"?
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,818 Points:1,636,245 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 5:33:28 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse no surprise.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 1:02:18 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse "Fact: Johns Hopkins University research shows the effect the above unemployment would have...it would also negatively affect health." rjhenn- "You mean we'd have more of such things as black lung disease and cancers that coal miners get more of?" ====================== Your editing of the fact posted renders your question as silly.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 12:59:38 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse "Fact: A Penn State University Study concluded that coal adds more than $1 TRILLION to the GDP PER YEAR, $360 Billion in extra household income PER YEAR and over 6.5 MILLION jobs. Fact: The PSU study also found that if coal plant reduction is just 33%, $160 BILLION would be lost in GDP, household income would be reduced by $64 BILLION and 1.2 MILLION jobs would be lost." rjhenn- "And how much will be gained by increasing the number of natural gas plants and renewable energy sources?" ======================= If phased in by free market NG is a great replacement. It's pretty well been shown that renewable tech is minimal for GDP.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 12:28:17 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse "Fact: Coal fired plants supply almost half of America's electricity." rjhenn- "And that percentage is constantly decreasing, as we move to other sources." ======================== Yes, but see below. Obama and the the EPA are hemorrhaging current coal jobs in already tenuous times.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 12:23:40 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse "Fact: Coal is an abundant source of proven reliability." rjhenn- "So is natural gas, which is cheaper and cleaner." ========================== At current NG prices it is only marginally cheaper than coal. That cannot realistically remain the case. Cost to build new NG plants is just as high as coal plants. It is in no way BOTH cheaper and cleaner. NG plants should be brought on line, phased in economically and smartly while at the same time using today's cleaner coal technologies.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 12:18:19 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse drpepperTX - "Fact: Today's coal fired plants emit 90% less air pollutants than the previous generation." rjhenn- "And they still emit far too much pollution, such as mercury, for public health." rjhenn must of missed the science article posted on GB yesterday, LOL. Here
rjhenn Champion Author Des Moines Posts:22,605 Points:2,256,100 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jun 24, 2012 12:39:34 AM Ignore rjhenn Report Abuse drpepperTX - "Fact: Today's coal fired plants emit 90% less air pollutants than the previous generation." And they still emit far too much pollution, such as mercury, for public health. "Fact: Coal is an abundant source of proven reliability." So is natural gas, which is cheaper and cleaner. "Fact: Coal is a secure domestic energy source, the US has 1/4 of the world's known supply and there's enough to power our needs for 250 years or more." Similar arguments can be made for natural gas. "Fact: Coal fired plants supply almost half of America's electricity." And that percentage is constantly decreasing, as we move to other sources. "Fact: Due to increased efficiency today's coal plants emit less CO2 per KW produced." Since I'm not a believer in AGW, that doesn't matter. "Fact: A Penn State University Study concluded that coal adds more than $1 TRILLION to the GDP PER YEAR, $360 Billion in extra household income PER YEAR and over 6.5 MILLION jobs. Fact: The PSU study also found that if coal plant reduction is just 33%, $160 BILLION would be lost in GDP, household income would be reduced by $64 BILLION and 1.2 MILLION jobs would be lost." And how much will be gained by increasing the number of natural gas plants and renewable energy sources? "Fact: Johns Hopkins University research shows the effect the above unemployment would have...it would also negatively affect health." You mean we'd have more of such things as black lung disease and cancers that coal miners get more of?
travelling2012 Rookie Author British Columbia Posts:21 Points:3,435 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Jun 23, 2012 9:40:07 PM Ignore travelling2012 Report Abuse so sad not healthy work though
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 23, 2012 9:39:13 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse "SOOOOO export the coal!" - letemeatcake says. ===================== Don't you just love it! With anthropogenic global warming being the new religion we have posters wanting to export coal to countries with far less efficient coal burning plants to increase the emissions. Do they not realize that these emissions affect the global climate whether here or there? Or perhaps their they really are not concerned about the environment as they claim and simply looking at one of the steps at eliminating capitalism??? Liberal hypocrisy truly has no limits.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,667 Points:1,228,325 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jun 23, 2012 9:29:49 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse SOOOOO export the coal! Bigger profits, no lay offs. Utilities should be switching to cleaner and cheaper NG. Arch coal has been hoping that their Lobbyist will force Coal upon the US....they did not have a Plan B. Lousy business plan hurting their workers. Damn shame!
DaNewt Veteran Author Illinois Posts:457 Points:101,180 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jun 23, 2012 6:17:29 PM Ignore DaNewt Report Abuse Well said drpepperTX. Just remember most on the far left can't handle the facts.
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,139 Points:624,685 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jun 23, 2012 4:43:16 PM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Thank you for posting.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,159 Points:778,875 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 23, 2012 10:21:57 AM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse The EPA, Obama and the Eco-Imperialists would rather you did not have the facts listed below: Fact: Today's coal fired plants emit 90% less air pollutants than the previous generation. Fact: Coal is an abundant source of proven reliability. Fact: Coal is a secure domestic energy source, the US has 1/4 of the world's known supply and there's enough to power our needs for 250 years or more. Fact: Coal fired plants supply almost half of America's electricity. Fact: Due to increased efficiency today's coal plants emit less CO2 per KW produced. Fact: A Penn State University Study concluded that coal adds more than $1 TRILLION to the GDP PER YEAR, $360 Billion in extra household income PER YEAR and over 6.5 MILLION jobs. Fact: The PSU study also found that if coal plant reduction is just 33%, $160 BILLION would be lost in GDP, household income would be reduced by $64 BILLION and 1.2 MILLION jobs would be lost. Fact: Johns Hopkins University research shows the effect the above unemployment would have...it would also negatively affect health. Johns Hopkins University conducted the first major research on the impacts of unemployment on public health for the Joint Economic Committee of Congress in 1979 and 1984. In the 1984 study, it was found that every 1 percent increase in unemployment resulted in a 2 percent increase in premature deaths. The President's war on coal using the EPA as his weapon will have negligible effects on CO2 emmissions, will impose huge costs on an already fragile economy and bring about more health issues for Americans than reducing coal use will stop.
tomok Champion Author Portland Posts:33,578 Points:2,372,235 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Jun 23, 2012 2:49:49 AM Ignore tomok Report Abuse As the country slowly changes to cleaner and green fuel and/or energy, jobs will change with it. That's what happens when it's dirty coal and its not needed as much anymore. If natural gas goes up, coal may be needed later to replace natural gas. What happened when the auto industry went into the dumper from lack of foresight and it needed to change? Auto industry jobs were eliminated and the whole industry changed. People will adjust and carry on. This is free enterprise at work, not some communist or socialist country where jobs are guaranteed for life. Whatever the size or shape of the vehicle, Produce and ‘Drive’ vehicles with high MPG, are very safe and reliable, have a ‘reasonable’ cost and a good ‘value’ for the money. Consider using other forms of less expensive transportation to lower your cost, if possible. The price of fuel at the pump is too high! 12/22/2012!
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:9,994 Points:1,639,725 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 11:38:45 PM Ignore jrsva Report Abuse It is too bad about the lost jobs but the coal operators have devastated vast areas of the Appalachians with their mountaintop-removal mining practices. A total ban on this technique is the only sane way forward; sadly, that would also cost jobs.
aggietim Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:1,826 Points:716,075 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 11:22:39 PM Ignore aggietim Report Abuse hmm
dancygreen Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,187 Points:510,600 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 11:09:19 PM Ignore dancygreen Report Abuse ok
TFowler513 Champion Author Memphis Posts:3,824 Points:1,437,135 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 11:08:10 PM Ignore TFowler513 Report Abuse Time for new job training.
rawdog1313 Champion Author Lexington Posts:3,434 Points:1,669,530 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 11:08:00 PM Ignore rawdog1313 Report Abuse Of course the Party of No had nothing to do with any problems going on in this Country. Right............
Jumpmaster82 All-Star Author South Carolina Posts:923 Points:863,565 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 11:05:08 PM Ignore Jumpmaster82 Report Abuse many miners voted for obama, even after he said he would shutdown coal fired power plants - never understood how they could vote themselves out of a job. well I guess the whole nation did!
menagerie1013 Champion Author San Diego Posts:2,365 Points:711,190 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 11:02:14 PM Ignore menagerie1013 Report Abuse Sad news for the workers, but better news for the environment.
camel1 Champion Author Minnesota Posts:8,405 Points:2,293,340 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:59:55 PM Ignore camel1 Report Abuse not surpring as natural gas prices have declined
mrbee Champion Author Little Rock Posts:3,889 Points:2,493,155 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:59:02 PM Ignore mrbee Report Abuse Sad news
hank1326 Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:9,040 Points:1,760,070 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:58:31 PM Ignore hank1326 Report Abuse The sad truth is that the Union is all about protecting their agenda instead of their members' interest.
1brendle Champion Author Winston-Salem Posts:1,789 Points:133,675 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:58:29 PM Ignore 1brendle Report Abuse Sad for everyone involved
5kvdave All-Star Author Los Angeles Posts:688 Points:350,000 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:56:32 PM Ignore 5kvdave Report Abuse I'M SURE ROMMNEY WILL BE GOOD FOR UNIONS,I'M SCARED EITHER WAY!!!!
ItsMorph Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:33,653 Points:3,212,075 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:55:24 PM Ignore ItsMorph Report Abuse Well, union workers are union workers for a reason. Although some HAVE to join a union.
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,740 Points:3,518,505 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:55:00 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse Obama wants to kill off coal and oil and kill the US economy as a result.
scubadaniel Champion Author Dayton Posts:1,546 Points:718,325 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:52:07 PM Ignore scubadaniel Report Abuse And the coal miners union leadership still tells their members to vote for Obama and his fun loving democrat buddies.....
sit Champion Author Cleveland Posts:5,325 Points:1,958,620 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:51:47 PM Ignore sit Report Abuse Not good.
wild3bill Champion Author New York Posts:2,551 Points:1,694,815 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:48:03 PM Ignore wild3bill Report Abuse Let the one who is without the ability to think be president and set policies on ehnergy and the economy.I* think enemies of the US slipped in a mole who got elected president. December 21, 2012 End of the wiorld January 20,2013 End of Obama !Pray that the US survives this Manchurian Candidate!
btex49 Champion Author Austin Posts:2,835 Points:554,655 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:47:30 PM Ignore btex49 Report Abuse I am not sure that we can stand four more months of Obama's administration... much less four more years!
OOXXFF Champion Author Greensboro Posts:3,193 Points:1,105,905 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:46:13 PM Ignore OOXXFF Report Abuse Maybe new and cleaner uses will be found for coal.
Blue48 Champion Author Illinois Posts:7,440 Points:1,664,670 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:45:49 PM Ignore Blue48 Report Abuse BAD NEWS!
mgune9 All-Star Author Dallas Posts:914 Points:200,395 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:43:19 PM Ignore mgune9 Report Abuse I'm sure market forces have played a role, but you can bet the polictical side and the greenies are bigger reasons - they don't care about jobless
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,667 Points:1,228,325 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:40:07 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse It doesn't have to be just a start! Big Coal should be exporting their products to the world market. It would not only help the US balance of trade, but keep miners employed for years to come. What's up with this poor business model?
Shakleelady31 All-Star Author Fort Wayne Posts:594 Points:422,565 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:39:58 PM Ignore Shakleelady31 Report Abuse Bad rap for mine workers.
MDTDriver Champion Author California Posts:9,848 Points:2,180,900 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:35:51 PM Ignore MDTDriver Report Abuse Just the way of life today in the USA.
trytogetby All-Star Author Cincinnati Posts:900 Points:222,895 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:35:13 PM Ignore trytogetby Report Abuse Hum.
jpgilmor Champion Author Houston Posts:2,296 Points:630,450 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:34:53 PM Ignore jpgilmor Report Abuse Just the start
Buddy2264 Champion Author Tampa Posts:11,792 Points:2,386,695 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:32:22 PM Ignore Buddy2264 Report Abuse That is the way supply and demand works and the prices of fuel. But Natural Gas could go back up, and will, when they find a way to ship it off to other countries.
boatmen Champion Author New York Posts:3,201 Points:648,630 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jun 22, 2012 10:27:49 PM Ignore boatmen Report Abuse it is what it is the future