The “Perfect Storm” continues to pound the coal industry here in West Virginia and across the country. The anti-coal policies of the Obama Administration and the EPA along with the lingering impacts of a worldwide economic downturn and a mild winter continue to push U.S. coal production lower, while West Virginia production resumes its decline.

According to NMA, coal production is off nationally by 1.4 percent year-over-year for the 52 weeks ending April 7. In West Virginia, production decline by 3.3 percent for the same period – with state mines producing 131.4 million tons compared to 135.8 million tons a year ago.

Railcar loadings are off 16 percent measured year-over-year. Meanwhile, electric production is off 1.9 percent across the country for the same period. Raw steel production in the U.S. continues to trend upward slightly, up approximately 6.7 percent year-to-date.

Exports of met coal are up 16.7 percent year-to-date from this time last year, however exports of steam coal remain down 9.3 percent year-to-date for the same period.  As an antithesis of what’s happening here, Reports from India indicate that their coal-fired electric generation plants have less than four-days of supply on the ground, with many having no reserve stockpiles at all.