Zero Tolerance: ACC Responds to National Geographic Article – "Why Trump Can't Make Coal Great Again"
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By Michelle Nijhuis
Shortly after 9:30 in the morning on April 29, 2016, a loud boom thundered through western Colorado’s North Fork Valley. Near the top of the narrow valley, a 14-story-high concrete coal silo sagged, and then crumpled to the ground, seeming to dissolve into clouds of black and gray smoke.
For decades, the coal mine that filled the silo had employed most of the people in the surrounding town, but in recent years activity at the mine had slowed and, finally, stopped, leaving a skeleton crew of just four. In 10 minutes, the silo demolition confirmed what many had long feared: The Oxbow Mine and its well-paying jobs had left the valley for good.
ACC Zero Tolerance Response:
The American Coal Council made the following response on social media and in the comments section of this story from National Geographic to address inaccuracies in this story.
Here's the Facts:
"Obama regulations forced closure of hundreds of coal-fired power plants, killing market for millions of tons of coal. Other Obama regulations pushed up cost of production, making coal less competitive. They made it increasingly more difficult to mine and market coal. These were passed with the stroke of a pen and can be changed with a pen stroke.
"Some of the damage, such as the closed or converted coal-fired power plants, can't be undone easily (if at all), but if we turn the economy around and start to grow our manufacturing base, demand for steam and metallurgical coal will increase. Making it easier to mine and market coal will allow us to take advantage of that demand."
