ETV News stock photo by Jeff Barrett
SUFCO Mine in Sevier County is one of two mines that were recently announced for special projects by the Trump administration. This will affect many in the area as a large number of the population from Castle Country travel to SUFCO for work.
The project approval was for lease modifications at the mine. It has been stated that these modifications are projected to extend the mine’s life by at least five years.
Five tons of coal are produced at SUFCO per year, which has been in operation since 1941. Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt expressed the need for these projects as they ensure that the mines are operational for years to come and provide well-paying jobs, as well as affordable energy, to Utahns.
These projects were announced by the U.S. Department of Interior and were approved through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Assistant Secretary Joe Balash went so far as to boldly state that approvals such as these mean that the war on coal is over.
“In coal towns across this country, the American dream is alive and well,” Balash stated.
Currently, SUFCO produces an estimated five to six million tons of coal per year and has a small surface footprint. SUFCO is one of the most productive, not to mention technologically advanced, underground coal mines to date.
The lease modifications for SUFCO are projected to support employment for nearly 385 mining jobs.