November 4, 2020
Coal as backbone of county’s prosperity
For decades, Mercer County has been a hub of good-paying and secure jobs due to the development of the coal industry here. But those who work in coal look beyond the personal benefits to the foundation the industry has provided for families and local communities.
“I just can’t think about myself, I also have to think about everyone else in the community,” Logan Steffen, an employee with the Falkirk Mine, said. “What would happen to the community as a whole if the coal fired power plants and coal mines close before their useful life? Simple answer is, towns like Hazen and Beulah will become present-day ghost towns.”
