Energy

Another Promise Kept — First Coal Mine Opens Under Trump Administration

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Jake Rennie Contributor
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President Trump during his campaign promised to “put our miners back to work.” That promise was at least partially fulfilled since the Corsa Coal Company opened, making it the first American corporation to open a new coal mine in six years.

Prominent political pundits deemed this pledge as just another empty promise made to further his campaign redirect of “Being the greatest jobs president that God ever created.” The Institute For Energy Economics And Financial Analysis (IEEFA) went so far as to say that “Promises to create more coal jobs will not be kept – indeed the industry will continue to cut payrolls”.

The mine is expected to operate in a coal producing capacity for a minimum of 15 years. Corsa executives forecast the creation of 70-100 jobs in the new mine.

The mining industry has been experiencing significant headwinds, having lost over 191,000 jobs since 2014.

Coal miners in Pennsylvania clapped and cheered as President Trump made his announcement. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be speaking with you on this great, great day,” Trump exclaimed. “The miners of Pennsylvania — we’re digging coal again.”

Trump’s kind words sit in stark contrast to Hillary Clinton’s sentiment voiced on the campaign trail. At a West Virginia town hall in March, Hillary Clinton pledged to “Put a lot of coal miners & coal companies out of business” in pursuit of transitioning America to clean renewable energy.