August 13, 2024 - The long-awaited 2024 Bluefield Coal Symposium opened this evening with an address “NOT SO FAST” by Jimmy Brock, Chairman & CEO, CONSOL Energy with 175 attendees converging on the beautiful Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton, WV on August 12-14.

Jimmy Brock

“The NOT SO FAST campaign is to advocate for a more realistic and more measured approach instead of rushing to the energy transition that’s going to put us on a collision course,” said Brock. “The campaign advocates to get out to policymakers, corporate leaders, politicians, and the general public on why coal matters today and why it will matter in the foreseeable future.”

Fossil fuel power plants are retiring much faster than dispatchable and dependable replacement sources are being developed. Thus, there are higher risks of rolling blackouts. Brock described the benefits coal brings to society. Every year the U.S. average citizen indirectly uses 3,000 lbs of coal. Coal accounts for 90,000 direct jobs in the U.S. with an average income of $93,000 a year. Coal indirectly generates another 200,000 jobs nationwide. Coal is valuable from a national security viewpoint.

With regard to global poverty, affordable and abundant energy sources kike coal remain essential for meeting the basic needs of billions of people around the world. There are an estimated 774 million people still without electricity.

Chuck Mathena Center

The Symposium has the theme Using U.S. Coal for a Better America and this national event is jointly presented by the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias and CoalZoom.com. The Symposium has four main goals:

·        to aid the search for zero accidents

·        to lift the spirits of those serving the coal industry and bring everyone together

·        to help promote MINExpo INTERNATIONAL®

·        to examine the challenges and opportunities for coal

Over the next two days, a distinguished list of speakers, comprising leaders in the industry, will present their experiences in achieving greater safety and increased productivity in both underground and surface mining. There are three technical sessions, two dinners, and one luncheon.

The American coal industry makes a $28 billion economic contribution to the Nation each year. The Bluefield Coal Symposium will examine the future of the coal industry and is one of the major events in the 2024 coal calendar leading up to MINExpo®. 

Twitty and Lynn

The Symposium includes entertainment and Brock’s address was followed by a special live performance by Twitty and Lynn: A Salute to Conway & Loretta. This dynamic duo celebrated the music and friendship of their iconic grandparents with their performance of “A Coal Miner’s Daughter” bringing the house down!