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The West Virginia Coal Association (WVCA) today announced it has submitted formal comments to the West Virginia Office of Energy in response to the state’s request for input on the development of a Comprehensive Energy Plan for West Virginia. The comments were transmitted to West Virginia Office of Energy Director Nicholas Preservati and focus on the central role coal must continue to play in meeting the state’s and nation’s energy, economic, and security needs.

Read more: West Virginia Coal Association Submits Formal Comments on State’s Comprehensive Energy Plan

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This week, Public Service Commission Chair Charlotte Lane provided clarity on an issue that has generated unnecessary speculation: West Virginia has no plans to shut down its coal-fired power plants. As she stated directly, no utility has filed any request to close any plant, and the PSC has no intention of initiating such a process.

Read more: OP ED: KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, KEEP WEST VIRGINIA STRONG

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The America’s Coal Association today praised the bipartisan introduction of the National Miners Day Resolution, led by Senator Jim Justice (R-WV) and Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), recognizing December 6, 2025, as National Miners Day and celebrating the contributions of America’s miners.

“Coal miners are the quiet giants of America’s industrial strength,” said Chris Hamilton, President of the West Virginia Coal Association. “From the metallurgical coal that fuels steelmaking to the thermal coal that keeps homes warm and the grid steady, West Virginia miners do the hard, necessary work that powers American progress. This bipartisan resolution is a fitting tribute to the grit, sacrifice, and productivity of the men and women who make it possible.”

Read more: America’s Coal Associations Applaud Bipartisan National Miners Day Resolution

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For more than a century, America’s coal industry has powered our homes, forged our steel, and fueled our prosperity. It has been the backbone of industrial growth and a symbol of American strength, self-reliance, and hard work. Even today — after nearly two decades of relentless political and regulatory assault — coal remains one of this nation’s most valuable resources, sustaining hundreds of thousands of jobs and keeping electricity affordable and reliable for millions of families.

Coal mining and the industries that depend directly on it employ more than 400,000 Americans. That figure includes approximately 130,000 miners, technicians, engineers, and plant operators working in extraction, preparation, and transport — and more than 270,000 additional workers in sectors that rely on coal as their lifeblood: railroads, barge lines, equipment manufacturers, utilities, steelmakers, and the communities that serve them. Together, they form one of the most productive, disciplined, and technically advanced workforces in the nation.

The economic reach of this workforce is immense. When you combine wages, benefits, and tax contributions, America’s coal industry generates more than $300 billion in annual economic impact. Coal miners themselves earn average wages exceeding $90,000 per year — nearly double the national average. Those paychecks sustain rural counties, small towns, and entire regions from Appalachia to the Powder River Basin. The taxes paid by coal companies and their employees — federal, state, and local — contribute an estimated $12 billion each year, funding schools, highways, and essential public services across multiple states. In places like West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming, coal doesn’t just provide jobs — it provides the foundation for life itself.

And that foundation extends far beyond the communities where coal is mined. Nearly one-third of America’s electricity still comes from coal, providing the baseload generation that keeps the grid stable when wind and solar can’t meet demand. Without coal, our energy system would be far more expensive, far less reliable, and far more dependent on foreign imports. At a time when families are struggling under inflation and high utility bills, coal remains the most abundant, reliable, and affordable source of energy ever discovered — and the only one capable of sustaining industrial-scale steel production.

Steel, the backbone of modern civilization, cannot be produced without metallurgical coal. Every skyscraper, bridge, railcar, and ship in America depends on it. Our nation’s defense systems rely on it. Our ability to rebuild infrastructure, strengthen supply chains, and reindustrialize the nation all hinge on one truth: without coal, America stops building.

Despite its essential role, our industry has endured nearly twenty years of political persecution. Beginning under the Obama administration and continuing under President Biden, federal regulators have weaponized the rulemaking process to wage an ideological war against coal. The Clean Power Plan, Waters of the U.S. rule, endless permitting delays, and duplicative environmental reviews have been used not to improve safety or reduce emissions, but to deliberately dismantle the coal sector and the communities that depend upon it.

These weren’t policy differences — they were acts of economic sabotage aimed squarely at working-class Americans. Yet through it all, our miners and companies adapted, innovated, and persevered. We modernized our operations, improved environmental performance, and maintained the highest safety standards in the world. The result is an industry that is leaner, cleaner, and more efficient than at any point in its history — and still irreplaceable.

Today, under the leadership of the President who declared America must once again achieve “energy dominance,” there is new hope. His administration has recognized what others denied — that energy security is national security, and that reliable baseload power is not a luxury, but a necessity. Through executive orders supporting domestic production, regulatory reform, and infrastructure investment, this President has reaffirmed coal’s rightful place as part of America’s energy future. He understands that we cannot remain a free and prosperous nation if we surrender our energy independence to the whims of global markets or the control of foreign adversaries.

Read more: America’s Coal Industry: Still powering the nation, worth defending