CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today (September 09, 2014) issued the statement following an announcement from Patriot Coal that the company has notified employees of potential layoffs at its Corridor G complex in Boone County:
“The announcement of potential layoffs at the Hobet 21 Mine and Beth Station preparation plant is more tragic news for our miners and their families. We continue to hold out hope that the end result is not as severe as today’s announcement, however we are committed to providing workforce training, continuing education opportunities and other assistance our miners and their families many need during this unfortunate time.
“We recognize market trends can play a part in these potential closures; however these trends also reflect the regulatory environment in which industry must operate. We continue our fight for West Virginia’s mining jobs andurge the EPA to reconsider its proposed plan and realize the real impact their proposed CO2 rules would have on West Virginia miners, their families and our communities. As our national economy grows and more manufacturers expand operations, the use of electricity will rise as well, and West Virginia coal remains the most cost-effective, reliable source of that power.”
