Alpha Natural Resources Idling Coal Mines; Laying Off Over 300

Looks like the people described in this morning's post might actually have a good reason to drink. Back on October 12th of last year, in my post, "Peak Coal Hits Appalachia," I cited the following quote from a Huffington Post story:

Coal here is getting harder and costlier to dig – and the region, which includes southern West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, is headed for a huge collapse in coal production.

The U.S. Department of Energy projects that in a little more than three years, the amount of coal mined here will be just half of what it was in 2008. That's a significant loss of a signature Appalachian industry, and the jobs that come with it.

Well, as reported by the Columbus Republic on Tuesday, it looks like that prediction is coming true:

Alpha Natural Resources says its decision to scale back production and idle some coal mines will cost 152 West Virginians and 168 Kentuckians their jobs in the coming weeks.

Media outlets say the West Virginia mines being idled include the No. 2 Gas Mine in Kanawha County and the Randolph Mine in Boone County, both underground operations.

Hours are being cut at Boone's Black Castle surface mine and the Progress/Twilight surface mine, and at Logan County's Camp Branch surface mine.

The Alloy Powellton Mine in Fayette County is eliminating one underground section.

So tell me again what happened to the "two hundred years' supply of coal" America supposedly has?


Bonus: We are not men, we are...coal miners?