WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall says he hopes the demand for coal will increase soon so out of work miners can start work again.
Several southern West Virginia mines have shut down recently due to a decrease in demand for coal. Hundreds of miners across the coalfields are without jobs and Rahall said last week in an exclusive interview with The Logan Banner that he believes the coal mines will see an increase in need for coal.
“This is due to a temporary decline in demand on the work market and also to a wonderfully-warm winter that has caused stockpiles to remain high and there’s not as much need to mine to replenish the stockpiles,” Rahall said. “And, of course, there are still persistent problems with the EPA. I’m not trying to diminish that one iota. I believe this is temporary only and, if we get into a hot summer and use a lot of air conditioning, we’ll be using up those stockpiles and having to mine more coal and these laid-off mines will go back to work. I have every bit of confidence.”
The Logan County Commission recently addressed the worries caused by the decrease in demand. Logan County Commission President Danny Godby said the loss of jobs creates an economic ripple effect that affects everyone. He said not only do several miners lose their jobs, but also that takes money out of the economy and coal severance taxes away from counties.
Rahall said he believes the Marcellus Shale is another competing factor.
“Natural gas and the Marcellus Shale that is coming on line in West Virginia is competition,” Rahall said. “I’m not badmouthing the Marcellus Shale, because that creates jobs, too, but it’s obviously a form of competition to coal. But, we need them both. I think we have the wherewithall in West Virginia and a talented workforce so we can do both at the same time and, as long as they are domestic sources of energy, I’m for using all of the above.”
But, in the end, Rahall said coal mines will be around a lot longer than natural gas reserves.
“They’re not going to go away,” Rahall said. “They’re going to be with us longer than any natural gas will be. This Marcellus Shale is expected to burn out in 25 years or so, but coal is going to be around a lot longer than that.”