Bessemer
Bessemer coal mine credits Trump with its reopening
Owners of the Shannon Mine are optimistic about the president’s attitude toward the industry.
Shannon Mine photo courtesy of the Shannon Mine Facebook page.
The owner of a Bessemer coal mine is crediting industry “optimism” resulting from the policies of President Donald Trump for its reopening.
The Atlantic has published a feature story focusing on 71-year-old Randy Johnson and his decision to begin coal mining again at Bessemer’s Shannon mine. The reason, he says, is because of Trump’s friendly attitude toward the coal industry, his attempts to deregulate it, and the expectation that there will be no new regulations added to the industry.
“I promise you it was Obama’s goal, and would have been Hillary Clinton’s goal, to dismantle the coal industry in Alabama,” Johnson says in the story.
But there’s also an argument to be made against that optimism, including the growing viability of natural gas as an energy source, as well as the danger of countries retaliating against Trump tariffs.
Even so, Johnson and many of his fellow miners remain optimistic and plan to vote Republican in the midterm election.
Read the full article at The Atlantic.
