Roundtable set to mull strategic push for Wyoming coal

It’s no secret that many people in Wyoming are on edge about the future of the coal mining industry. That’s why the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources has called for a roundtable discussion, “Powder River Basin Coal: Domestic Challenges and International Opportunities,” to be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. December 13 in Gillette.

Coal haul trucks wait to be loaded at the Belle Ayr mine south of Gillette. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile – click to enlarge)
Coal haul trucks wait to be loaded at the Belle Ayr mine south of Gillette. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile – click to enlarge)

The event is open to the public, and it will take place at “Peabody Energy Hall” at the Gillette College Technical Education Center. Click here for the agenda, registration and other details. Organizers include the University of Wyoming’s Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy.

“Coal remains America’s most abundant low cost source of energy,” the organizers stated in a document accompanying a press release. “Taxes and fees paid by coal companies are an important source of revenue to the State of Wyoming. From a national  economic perspective, maintaining a viable coal industry is important for ensuring stable, low-cost, and reliable electric power generation. The goal of this round table is to convene experts on the coal industry to articulate these strategic considerations and to identify regulatory policy options to ensure their attainment.”

Organizers say they will take main points from the discussion to develop a policy paper and distribute it to state and federal policymakers.

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