{"id":20405,"date":"2019-09-04T08:47:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-04T16:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/its-the-stone-age-of-fossil-fuels-coal-bankruptcy-tests-wyoming-town\/"},"modified":"2019-09-04T08:47:00","modified_gmt":"2019-09-04T16:47:00","slug":"its-the-stone-age-of-fossil-fuels-coal-bankruptcy-tests-wyoming-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/its-the-stone-age-of-fossil-fuels-coal-bankruptcy-tests-wyoming-town\/","title":{"rendered":"‘It’s The Stone Age Of Fossil Fuels’: Coal Bankruptcy Tests Wyoming Town"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Cooper McKim<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n <\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n Enlarge this image<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

\n In Gillette, Wyo., miner Bill Fortner stands by stalled trains that normally would be transporting coal. Local production has declined by one-third in the past decade.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cooper McKim\/Wyoming Public Media<\/p>\n

<\/b>
\n hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n <\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Cooper McKim\/Wyoming Public Media<\/p>\n

<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Two months ago, coal company Blackjewel declared bankruptcy, putting hundreds of miners in Wyoming and across Appalachia out of work. Miners affected by the bankruptcy in Kentucky have been camping out on a train track<\/a> for six weeks in protest. <\/p>\n

Blackjewel is the third coal company in Wyoming to declare bankruptcy this year, but this one is more dramatic: paychecks went unpaid<\/a>, a CEO was pushed out<\/a> and, most importantly, the gates of the mines in Gillette, Wyo., which calls itself the energy capital of the U.S., were locked, stopping coal production. Miners say that just doesn’t happen. <\/p>\n

The move left about 600 people out of work in Gillette. In two months, only 25% of workers have found jobs, according to local management. <\/p>\n

Until two months ago, Darlene Rea worked in Blackjewel’s warehouse. She received freight, wrote invoices and found parts. Since the coal company’s abrupt bankruptcy, she’s been stuck looking for work.<\/p>\n