Construction of southwestern Wyo. coal mine halted

Published April 10, 2013 2:37pm ET



CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A Nebraska company has suspended construction of a coal mine in southwestern Wyoming.

The Casper Star-Tribune (http://bit.ly/17qMvNq ) reported Wednesday that Haystack Coal Co. blamed poor demand for coal for its decision.

Twelve people will lose their jobs at the project northeast of Evanston. In a statement, spokesman Tom Janssen said the company is working to find jobs for the workers at projects being done by its parent company, Omaha-based Kiewit Corp.

Pending restrictions on coal-fired power plants, a mild winter and low natural gas prices have reduced demand for coal. Wyoming, the nation’s top coal producer, mined 8 percent less coal last year. About 3 percent of coal workers lost their jobs in 2012, according to federal data.

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Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com