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Consol to "idle" mine in West Virginia
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Consol Energy Inc. said it expects to idle a coal mine near Bickmore, W.Va., in response to market conditions and increased regulatory pressure.
The Cecil-based energy company announced this morning that its Fola operations will be affected during a 14-day period beginning Aug. 30. The operations employ a little more than 300 employees.
Consol said increased pressure from environmental regulations has raised costs for surface mining and created "uncertainty for the company's power generation customers related to the continued use of Central Appalachian coal."
In addition, the company noted that the warm winter reduced demand for coal and an anemic economy has not helped spur new growth.
Earlier this year, Consol idled two longwall mining operations in West Virginia and Virginia, but later said international demand allowed those to reopen.
First Published June 29, 2012 10:11 am
