March 25, 2026 - The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) has issued a statement  expressing frustration with West Virginia’s lawmakers after the “West Virginia First Energy Act” was killed in committee, endangering thousands of jobs and communities across the state.

The bill sought to establish a 69% capacity mandate for coal-fired power plants, ensuring the state relied on West Virginia-mined coal rather than expensive out-of-state energy.

“Our members have spent their lives powering this country, and to see a bill of this magnitude ignored is a betrayal to coal miners,” said UMWA International President Brian Sanson. “For years, utility companies have bypassed critical investment in our own coal plants to buy power elsewhere while our miners were laid off and ratepayers watched their bills climb. This bill was meant to end that cycle.”

The legislature’s inaction directly contradicts the public stance many officials have taken regarding the protection of coal jobs, leaving mining communities vulnerable to further economic devastation.

“West Virginia politicians spent years campaigning against the “War on Coal” and now we see many of those same lawmakers in the pockets of out-of-state natural gas companies. We never thought we would witness a second “War on Coal” being waged by so called pro-coal WV lawmakers, but that time has come,” Sanson said. “Politicians are pushing an “All of the Above” approach, but what this action shows is they support all energy solutions except coal.”

The coal miners of West Virginia deserve more than lip service from politicians that are either on the gas company payroll or work indirectly for them.

“We expect our elected representatives to stand up for coal jobs and killing this bill was a choice, and it’s a choice that hurts working families. They aren’t just turning their backs on a bill; they are turning their backs on the workers who are the backbone of West Virginia.”

The UMWA urges the citizens of West Virginia to elect political representatives who will stand up for their communities and not the corporate interests of out-of-state billion-dollar gas companies.