[TheRealVille]

Once again let me try to explain the situation. In the past coal companies maintained surface mining permits two to five years in advance of their current operations, only one or two companies have received new mining permits since Barry and crew took office. The permits that were being held are now being mined, and companies are unable to project future mine plans or obtain financing for future projects.

Also, coal companies normally sign contracts (some long term, some short term) to supply their coal in advance, sometimes these contracts are signed one or two years in advance. Couple that with a 3,000 ton per miner/year drop in tonnage production, companies have to hire more workers to maintain production to supply the necessary contracts.

Now let’s review
1) Most coal companies were permitted ahead 2-5 years as late as 2008.
2) Companies are mining these surface permits now.
3) No new suface permits in last three years (Obama adm.)
4) Many long term contracts signed two years ago are still in force and have to be fulfilled.
5) Production is down 3,000 tons per miner/year.
Does that make sense now, because that’s about as simple as I can make it.

Production is down, you hire more miners to keep production up. That sounds like a win/win to me. More miners are getting hired(they win) to keep production up(company wins). Bunches of trucks hauling coal down the river to the docks. I got it now.

[TheRealVille]

Yeah I probably dont. I only have 35 trucks on the road every day and only go through about 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel every year. This stuff is all still new to me as I have only been doing it for 25 years. I know nothing, but I am still trying to learn. I admit, I'm pretty naive and I do pretty much live a sheltered life when it comes to what goes on with the local economic sector. Thanks for all the experts on here to help make me aware of all the prosperity that is flowing through the region. I'm gonna make it my #1 New Years resolution to get more involved with what's going on around me this next year.:Thumbs:

Oh, so you don't run coal trucks up and down the river? Do you run your 35 trucks up and down that road from Paintsville to Ashland?

[Old School]

The permits are running out, yet hiring is at a 14 year high? Yea that makes sense. Maybe you can find somebody that failed math in school that will believe that. :biggrin:

Production is down, you hire more miners to keep production up. That sounds like a win/win to me. More miners are getting hired(they win) to keep production up(company wins). Bunches of trucks hauling coal down the river to the docks. I got it now.

Typical sarcastic RV response, not surprised.

BTW, How many math classes did you fail?

[TheRealVille]

Typical sarcastic RV response, not surprised.

BTW, How many math classes did you fail?

Give untwisted information, and sarcasm wouldn't be warranted.

[Old School]

Give untwisted information, and sarcasm wouldn't be warranted.

Please feel free to elaborate. What twisted information did I provided?
Fact is new surface mining permits are not being approved. Common sense tells you that existing permits cannot last forever, unless the EPA starts approving permits, surface mining has nowhere to but down.

[TheRealVille]

Please feel free to elaborate. What twisted information did I provided?
Fact is new surface mining permits are not being approved. Common sense tells you that existing permits cannot last forever, unless the EPA starts approving permits, surface mining has nowhere to but down.

What does that have to do with the fact that coal companies are hiring more miners than the last 14 years? Let's go one point at a time. All 5 of your points can't explain more mine hirings. Let's just do away with those points for now.

Couple that with a 3,000 ton per miner/year drop in tonnage production, companies have to hire more workers to maintain production to supply the necessary contracts.

You are still mining the coal needed to supply contracts, albeit with more miners. Let's just forget about future permits for now, they might come later.

[Old School]

What does that have to do with the fact that coal companies are hiring more miners than the last 14 years? Let's go one point at a time. All 5 of your points can't explain more mine hirings. Let's just do away with those points for now.

You are still mining the coal needed to supply contracts, albeit with more miners. Let's just forget about future permits for now, they might come later.

Man, I thought I spoon feeding it to you in post #29.

Here’s another example, let’s say you make widgets, and you sign a contract with someone to sell them 1000 widget per month for two years. During the first 6 months you are able to meet your quota with you current man power but after that you experience problems and you are only able to produce 800 widgets per month. What do you do? Do you forfeit your remaining contract and face legal actions which could cost more money or do you hire more people and take a hit on your profit margin?

[Bob Seger]

Oh, so you don't run coal trucks up and down the river? Do you run your 35 trucks up and down that road from Paintsville to Ashland?

I dont have coal trucks. But yes some of my trucks do run down the river, thus I have a pretty good vision of what goes up and down the road, not only down 23 but on just about every main road that goes throughout all of eastern to central Kentucky and a good portion of southern West Virginia going towards Charleston as well to southeastern Ohio as far as Parkersburg. There is not remotely anywhere near the number of coal trucks running as there was say 14 years ago. It's not even close.