This has been a difficult year for Central and Eastern Utah. Within the last few months, PacifiCorp has closed down the Carbon Power Plant and the Deer Creek coal mine. The residual effect has created job loss in transportation, retail and several other industries in the area. But the loss of jobs has a much greater affect on the economy than just what the unemployment claims show. In Emery County alone, the number of non-farm jobs has dropped an estimated 8.6 percent in May 2015 compared to the prior year. Statewide, mining jobs dropped 5.7 percent as an industry. So what is going on?
There are a lot of fingers being pointed towards Washington and there is a legitimate battle to be fought. Jobs are being eliminated with every indication they won’t be coming back. Mining has been the staple industry here for decades and workers are finding themselves clamoring for lower paying construction, retail and tourism jobs. Mining has been cyclical over the years but has provided a comfortable living for hundreds of workers. Unfortunately, they have never been faced with such permanence until now.
The Carbon Plant was forced to shut down when the cost of coming into compliance with new EPA laws governing mercury emissions was too high. The Deer Creek mine shut down can be attributed to a lost contract, depleting higher quality clean coal and the cost to refine the coal to meet environmental standards. There are many other suspicions and speculations about who is to blame but the truth is, it has delivered a major blow to our rural economy. I wholeheartedly support efforts towards a better environment, better air and cleaner energy sources. I am also an advocate for jobs and industry. So, is coal worth fighting for especially when it appears that it may be permanently impacted? There is still a lot of coal in “them thar hills” which translates to local revenue, tax money and jobs that may be left buried. Many argue that when the current coal fired plants that are on the chopping block go down, we will face a shortage of power because the renewable sources may not be implemented as quickly as coal power is being reduced. So what now?
Change is good! I hate to see such a source of stability in our area dwindle, but this was inevitable. It is sooner than expected but we all knew that eventually the coal would be depleted. So now we are being forced to adapt prematurely!
Castle Country is Utah’s best kept secret for recreation. Most weekenders speed right past our area on their way to Moab or Lake Powell not realizing the beauty, endless trails, and history of this area they are missing. This is a resource that leaders in our local government are now beginning to promote as one of our saving graces. Without a staple industry, this area will continue to decline.
I recently queried one of our County Commissioners about tourism and he expressed that they are focusing more on industry, as well as other cleaner energy systems. I am aware of plans for a solar farm coming to the area and there surely is an abundance of wind. These more stable renewable sources of energy, employment and tax revenues are sorely needed, but will it be enough?
Small business is another way to stimulate the economy here and provide resources that currently can only be found in the more urban areas. Technology companies are flocking to Utah for the highly educated labor force and “cheap” labor. A major issue in our area is education. We fall well below the state average for higher education (12.5 percent age 25+ have a BA or higher compared to 30.3 percent Statewide). A few years ago, our local college was merged into the larger Utah State University system which will create a much greater opportunity for higher levels of education and will facilitate a transition from mining to other skills and trades.
Is coal worth fighting for?
Yes, but only as a short term strategy. We need to create opportunities for our workforce to gain new skills in order to transition into other areas. We should be looking for ways to improve our environment. In my opinion, automobiles produce more pollution as a whole than pollution from coal power plants, especially in our area. Nonetheless, fossil fuels are non-renewable and do contain pollutants that are harmful to our health and the environment. If we fight, we should fight for avoiding abrupt mandatory shutdowns that leaves workers and their families grasping for a way to support their way of life.
I would like to hear your thoughts on this and if you are looking for a great place to do business with low property costs and a hard working labor force, check out Carbon and Emery County Utah.
Trenton Willson is a Career and Employment Counselor with experience in the public and private sector. He has developed job search workshops for the State of Utah, including LinkedIn, Online Job Search and assisted with others. He has coached hundreds of job seekers to successfully find gainful employment. He has a BA Degree from the University of Utah in Accounting, a field he worked in for 13 years before successfully transitioning to a much more fulfilling role in career management.
Is coal worth fighting for?
"Trenton Willson"