COAL JOBS ENDING More Than 100 Miners Losing Jobs In Webster County Among 750 Arch Layoffs
Reported by: Bob Aaron
Videographer: Bob Aaron
Web Producer: Bob Aaron
Reported: Jun. 22, 2012 6:07 PM EDT
Updated: Jun. 22, 2012 6:13 PM EDT
EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO C L I C K T O P L A Y
Cowen
, West Virginia
Webster County will feel the brunt of a wave of West Virginia's layoffs announced by Arch Coal Thursday at operations in three states
About 120 jobs will be lost with the closing of a mining operation near the Birch River and Cowen. Coal's declining role in power production gets the blame for the coal giant's efforts to put itself in a better market position.
750 miners will be out of a job in Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia. One eleven year Webster County employee blamed the EPA's tougher regulations for the loss of his job. The mine worker said this as he removed a maintenance truck from the mine: " Yeah, I blame Washington, the government, for not helping us out. They're putting out regulations on that stuff. You can't even turn over a rock without getting a permit or anything! "
Local businesses in Cowen are worried about the impact. They describe the miners losing jobs as neighbors, friends and customers.
Kentucky miners who got layoff notices from Arch Coal this week are also facing bleak prospects as they look for work in a region plagued by high unemployment.
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Bob Aaron
