Lawmakers meet with Anthracite industry

A century ago, an estimated 200,000 people were employed in the mining of anthracite coal in Pennsylvania.

Today, there are approximately 1,000.

While the industry is a far cry from its heyday, it still contributes jobs and economic development to the region.

A group of state lawmakers visited Coaldale Thursday to discuss the past, present and future of the anthracite industry. The meeting was called in light of the 250th anniversary of the hard coal industry.

“The vitality of this region is important to the entire state,” said Sen. Scott E. Hutchinson, chairman of the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee.

They were joined by executives and lobbyists from the anthracite industry, waste coal-burning power plants, and Van Hoekelen Greenhouses in McAdoo.

The industry faces many challenges as it tries to evolve and stay viable.

In the past 10 years, millions have been invested in anthracite resources locally. That’s a marked change from the decades prior, said Greg Driscoll of Blaschak Coal Corp.

State Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill, who called the meeting, said the first anthracite miners in 1768 probably never imagined the industry would grow as large as it did, and by the same token, the miners who worked a century ago probably didn’t realize it was going to undergo a sharp decline. He praised today’s entrepreneurs for keeping the industry alive.

“I truly admire you folks fueling the comeback in your everyday operations,”

Today’s anthracite industry is branching out into new uses while attempting to clean up some of the scars left on the region.

Anthracite is being used in the recycling of metals, including zinc recycling. It also can be used in water filtration.

Rusty Taylor, president of Lehigh Anthracite, said he prefers to think of anthracite as an industrial mineral, to differentiate from bituminous coal.

Taylor said the industry faced uncertainty headed into the 2016 election, but the Trump administration has been good because they have seen an increase in the amount of domestic steel production, which means more demand for anthracite. Just like 100 years ago, steel production is still the best market for anthracite.

“As soon as the Trump administration was elected, we saw anticipation from these electric arc furnaces. As the economy started to go up, the demand for steel started to go up,” he said.

There is also still a healthy home heating market for coal, and coal-fired pizza ovens are becoming more popular.

Another important role the industry plays is eliminating waste coal that has piled up over the years. There are more than a dozen waste coal power plants in Pennsylvania, including the Panther Creek facility in Nesquehoning.

“The most cost-effective, quickest solution to these legacy issues is the continuation of the work that the mine is doing, the power plant is doing,” Driscoll said.

Active mines pay a tax on each ton of coal which goes toward reclaiming abandoned mines. And when they conduct active mining, they are required to post a bond covering any potential remediation cost, Driscoll said.

Rep. Jerry Knowles grew up in Tamaqua not far from an active mine operation. He said the industry has done a great job returning the massive black coal banks to green forest.

“Younger folks don’t remember this, but I remember when you looked at the banks in Tamaqua, and they were dirty, black and they just weren’t a pretty sight,” he said.

But the cogeneration industry is struggling to stay viable. Panther Creek is dormant for most of the year because other forms of electric power are cheaper.

As one of the country’s largest producers of tulips, Van Hoekelen Greenhouses may seem like an unlikely ally for the coal industry. But the cogeneration plant in McAdoo is a big part of its business. The company chose to locate its 7.5-acre greenhouse there because it was able to use steam from the cogen to heat the greenhouse during the winter months.

Since then it was have been forced to add propane heat at a higher cost.

Some of the barriers faced are difficulties attracting qualified laborers. VHG pays more for outside truckers despite the fact it has its own fleet.

Duane Feagley, executive director of the Pennsylvania Anthracite Council, said he is encouraged by the Trump administration reducing regulations — but he wants to make sure the state is keeping up.

“Let’s take a look at what state regulations are more stringent than federal regulations, and find out why,” he said.