Trump touts new Pa. coal mine, but rebound in doubt

Reid Frazier

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Reid R. Frazier is an energy reporter for The Allegheny Front, a Pittsburgh-based public media outlet covering the environment in Pennsylvania. His work has aired on NPR and Marketplace.

June 8, 2017 | 12:41 PM

Matt Owens, the safety manager for the Acosta Deep mine says he's happy to be back at work.

Reid Frazier / The Allegheny Front

Matt Owens, the safety manager for the Acosta Deep mine watches over preparations for the opening of the metallurgical coal mine.

When President Trump announced the U.S. was pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, he said he was doing it to protect American workers. He gave a shout out to the coal industry, and a surprise mention to the Acosta Deep mine in Somerset County.

“A big opening of a brand, new mine. It’s unheard of. For many, many years that hasn’t happened,” Trump said.

The mine, owned by Canonsburg-based Corsa Coal Corp., received a $3 million grant from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, a fund the state gives to “regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.” The Governor’s office says it will create 100 direct, and 500 indirect jobs.

The Allegheny Front’s Reid Frazier explains why this mine is opening up, while others have shut down. And why, although it may be a beacon of hope for the coal mining community, it’s not a harbinger of the future of coal. Read more at The Allegheny Front.