USDA Investments Power Coal Production with Modern Equipment for West Virginia Miners
Coal mining is more than an industry in rural West Virginia, it’s a way of life that has shaped families and communities for generations. Since the earliest mines opened in the 1810s, the work and the technology behind them have changed dramatically. Over two centuries later, the one thing that has remained constant is the deep pride miners take in their work and the enduring sense of identity that comes with this tradition.
At Eagle Summit East LLC, in Ashford, West Virginia, miners like Gus Chryssofos, who has been with the company for a decade, understand how critical having safe and reliable equipment is to their jobs. Eagle Summit East recently received a $25 million Business & Industry Loan Guarantee through U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and lender Stone Bank to upgrade key equipment at the mine where Gus and his fellow miners work. This important program makes it possible for lenders to extend credit to rural businesses that otherwise might have a difficult time securing financing.
Gus Chryssofos, Miner, Eagle Summit
“Eagle Summit is bringing in new equipment in so that we can produce and make coal for the nation and keep lights on for everybody, not just for our community, but for communities across the United States,” said Gus.
The new equipment includes a Highwall miner, new trucks, a grader, an excavator, and other upgrades that will strengthen both safety and productivity at the mine.
The Trump Administration recently announced that it is placing emphasis on reinvigorating the coal industry as a reliable source of domestic energy.
“The President promised energy dominance, and this is what project like these are fulfilling. Projects like this one have a ripple effect, lowering the cost of energy across the United States,” said USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business & Cooperative Services Administrator J.R. Claeys.
That “ripple effect” is felt in communities surrounding the mines. While the investment at Eagle Summit East is expected to support 75 mining jobs, its impact reaches far beyond the mine itself, benefiting local businesses such as gas stations, grocery stores, equipment suppliers, and more.
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Power Plant Repeal: Coming Soon, In Two Parts
Some utility industry insiders say they expect EPA to scrap former President Joe Biden’s power plant climate rule in the next two months, based on the draft rule’s arguments that carbon capture and natural gas co-firing aren’t practical emissions-slashing options for the U.S. coal fleet.
EPA’s new strategy — as described in broad strokes by four people briefed on the administration's plans — is to repeal the 2024 power plant standards by citing doubts about those two benchmark technologies.
The agency would then deal a more permanent blow to future administrations' regulatory authorities with a new proposal that mirrors EPA’s recent rescission of the so-called endangerment finding, those people said. They were granted anonymity to describe discussions with administration officials.
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NEPA Has Always Been at the Center of America's Innovation
It all started with a wrought iron grate at a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania tavern in 1808.
It was there on the corner of East Northampton and South Washington streets that the tavern’s owner, Jesse Fell, used that open grate to successfully burn anthracite coal without a forced draft for the first time.
Fell didn’t discover coal itself, but he did discover its domestic use as a viable fuel source to heat homes at less expense than burning wood, which revolutionized home heating in the 19th century.
“That single-handedly started the coal mining industry in this area, which, and it’s not an exaggeration to say, started the Industrial Revolution in America,” said Mark J. Riccetti Jr., director of operations and programs for the Luzerne County Historical Society.
The Anthracite Coal Region of Northeastern Pennsylvania encompasses six counties and contains the largest known deposits of anthracite coal in the world.
Luzerne County is part of the Northern Coal Field, which is shaped like a canoe and stretches from Forest City in Susquehanna County all the way down to Shickshinny.
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Tennessee Valley Authority Reverses Decision to Shut Down Cumberland, Kingston Coal Plants
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a federally-owned electric utility corporation that serves the whole state, went back on its plans to shut down two of its coal-fired plants during a vote at its Wednesday board meeting.
Two years ago, TVA announced it would close the Cumberland and Kingston coal plants — which are located in Clarksville and Harriman — and replace them with new, multi-billion-dollar methane gas-powered plants by 2027.
Kingston fossil plant
TVA told News 2 in a statement that increased energy demand fueled by population growth and data centers, as well as regulatory changes, led to the decision to reverse the original plan to shut down the coal plants.
During Wednesday’s board meeting, TVA officials praised the President Donald Trump’s administration for reversing several coal restrictions and said the changes allowed them to revisit the decision.
“We would not be in the position today to recommend continuing to operate over 3,000 megawatts of beautiful, clean coal that will directly support energy resiliency, reliability and low-cost power for the 10 million people we serve,” Tom Rice, TVA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, said.
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Strengthening Energy Security: DPA Action Reinforces America’s Coal Advantage
This week, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation to employ the Defense Production Act (DPA) to secure coal supply chains and support affordable and reliable baseload power generation capacity. The order – part of a salvo of actions in response to the global energy crisis – will allow the administration to make purchases, commitments and financial instruments available to support coal supply chains and baseload power generation, including coal mining, rail and barge logistics, export and domestic terminals, generating unit availability and life-extension work, as well as on-site stockpiling.
“This action recognizes the unique and irreplaceable attributes of coal to our nation’s power system,” said Rich Nolan, National Mining Association President and CEO. “Look no further than the current fuel challenges confronting countries that turned away from coal as they rush to restart plants and scramble to source thermal coal to replace strained LNG supplies. Preserving the security that coal provides our grid is not only the right move given today’s global realities, it’s a key part of a truly comprehensive national security strategy,” he added.
Invoking the DPA and using it to support coal supply chains and generation makes sense for many reasons:
Global Crisis: This is the largest oil disruption in history and an equally massive disruption to global LNG supply--20% of the world’s oil and LNG is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. As we’re seeing across Asia and Europe, nations that can pivot to coal to shore up energy security and reduce spiking costs on consumers are doing so.
Markets Need U.S. Energy: The U.S. is a critically important oil, LNG and coal exporter. More U.S. energy in global markets is essential to meeting demand, buffering price spikes and providing security for our trade partners and allies. With U.S. coal going to more than 70 nations, and none of it moving through the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. supply is an irreplaceable swing supplier during price shocks, enabling more coal to get to the global market is an important response to urgent need.
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