[RunItUpTheGut]

Good discussion Gut. The natural gas industry is growing in eastern kentucky. The jobs that they have provided are about the same pay as coal jobs, but not as many jobs. MCMiners post was great, it made me think of Lynch East Main. I think we will see larger schools going down in class.

Natural gas jobs are good only as long as there needed.
I think the problem with natural gas is it doesnt help the local communities the same way coal does. Coal companies around here buy parts, buy equipment, and deal with other local companies (reclamation) and natural gas just doesnt offer the same type of market that coal did.
I think we'll soon find out just how high natural gas will rise once mining really starts shutting down.

Being in my field, Ive researched it time and time again, talked to people who have worked in coal for 40+ years and they all agree that its never been this bad to be in the coal market. I was in Pikeville last year and Hazard a couple of weeks ago, and its amazing how much business has dwindled in those areas. I started working in this field a little over a decade ago in 2002 and the numbers are, quite frankly, scary. Its almost to the point that even a lot of businesses have finally concluded there is no going back to a coal boom. I think (and hope) there will be a coal boom toward the middle to end of the summer next year with the current conditions, but if it doenst happen the way i think it will, you can offcially count coal out.

I think Natural Gas is good for Coal to help competetion, as well as supplement the pricing, but I dont think its an Alternative to coal like this administration wants it to be.