Anyone that has lived in southern Illinois is aware of the legend that “coal is king.”
It is frustrating to community leaders to be aware of the seemingly limitless wealth below and the various problems of “bringing it up.” Factors of profit and, more importantly, EPA standards, have dwarfed the once mighty industry.
However, in recent years, there are lights at the end of the tunnel. Or, the mine shaft as it were. What began as a glimmer of hope a few years ago has taken on a real trend and optimism has surfaced that once again this area could become a mighty bastion producing the “black gold.”
One local expert gave a positive response when asked about the status of the industry and what role coal will play in our future. Steve Cook, West Frankfort’s economic developer, is optimistic.
“We in Franklin County have begun to notice the presence of coal mines once more in our region,” Cook told the Daily American in an exclusive interview. “Prairie State Energy Park is going to be a state of the art power generating plant with a coal mine situated in the park, supplying this facility with coal that will be converted to energy. If we are looking for alternative energy sources for the United States, coal has to be one of the most abundant and most versatile sources that are available to us today. We can convert it to gasoline and diesel as the Germans did in World War II, and we can convert it to energy. “These days we can do it more cleanly and with fewer environmental consequences than in any time in our history. Illinois has enough coal to meet the needs of our state and probably most of the United States for the next 100 years and beyond. In meeting that need we address a major national security issue and we create a host of good paying jobs with excellent benefits that will allow untold southern Illinois families to live, work, and pay their bills.”
There are always political factors that come into play in projects of this magnitude. With so much at stake for the nation, Cook is well aware of them.
“Many in the coal industry are watching the new president-elect and are waiting to see if he is going to make coal a part of his alternative energy plan. It will be crucial for the coal industry to have a workable and well thought-out national alternative energy plan and with it the incentives that are going to play a key role in convincing the coal industry to continue with the millions and millions of dollars that they will be investing over the next four to five years in new coal mines and training new coal miners.”
Cook also points out that major entities are cooperating in the effort to make the industry viable once again. Even our educational facilities are involved. “Our own Rend Lake College is investing in a state of the art training facility just for training coal miners and mine rescue teams. This training is important in preparing men and women for the jobs that are coming to our region. Part of any energy plan should be the FutureGen project that was awarded to Mattoon last year and soon after the funding was pulled for the project by the administration. This project is a major step in creating the technology that will allow us to burn coal with zero emissions. Coal is abundant, it is much cheaper than oil and it is ours. We don’t have to depend on supplies from outside our borders. It should be a big part of bridging the next 10 years until we can develop the other alternative fuels to allow us to completely free ourselves from foreign oil.”
Coal resurgence in Franklin County would mean a host of good paying jobs from the coal industry itself and for the other businesses that support the coal industry by supplying them with equipment and supplies to maintain their mines in a safe and productive condition, he pointed out.
In a more specific reference to local advantages, Cook reflected on some of the work he, the administration and other area agencies working together have been a part of developing.
“Several companies in West Frankfort have close ties to the coal and oil industries and are poised to expand their facilities and their work force if coal continues to expand and grow in Illinois and the rest of the country. This represents a unique opportunity for West Frankfort and the rest of Franklin County to employ our citizens, finance our local economies and governments and support many of our businesses to the point that their success will convert into more jobs and a lower unemployment rate for our county. West Frankfort stands at a very unique crossroads and one path with coal will mean success and an economy that is flourishing and expanding. The path without coal could mean more of the same disappointments that we have seen over the last 15-20 years. I pray that coal will be king again in West Frankfort.”
West Frankfort, Ill. —
