News
Coal Company Announces Lay Offs In Belmont Co.
By: Fred Kight
Posted on:
The Ohio Valley Coal Company says it's laying off 29 workers in Belmont County.
The announcement Friday affects employees of the Powhatan Number 6 Mine.
Ohio Valley General Manager Ronald Koontz says "excessive and unnecessary regulatory actions of the Obama administration" are to blame.
He says those actions have, in his words, "taken away much of the market for our coal."
And he indicates more layoffs are likely.
"This is just the beginning of the workforce reductions," says Koontz.
Ohio Valley Coal still employs a workforce of 680.
New pollution rules have made coal less desirable as a fuel source.
Supporters maintain the rules are good for the environment.