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The energy industry has changed dramatically in the past decade. But despite cleaner and more efficient industry-wide standards and the increased use of new, green energy technologies and automation, the public still clings to outdated myths typified by the old black and white images of dirty faced miners covered in coal residue coming out of the mines.
Images like that don't fade easily. That's why it's important for people like me who earn our livings in the energy industry to set the record straight about today's energy production. It's why we need to talk about new cutting edge technologies that produce clean and efficient energy from coal. It's why we need to explain about the investment and training taking place to diversify with renewable energy sources.
I work at the Longview energy plant in Maidsville, West Virginia, which was cited by U.S. Senator Joe Manchin as a good example of a cleaner future for coal-fired power. This plant has the highest efficiency of any coal unit in North America and leads with the best achievable CO2 emissions. That translates into clean, resilient and affordable power for our customers.
Our facility is on the cutting edge of energy production diversification after an investment of $1.1 billion to upgrade our coal, natural gas, and solar production. And it's created 5,000 good paying union jobs in the process.
I'm blessed to live in southwestern Pennsylvania and work forty-five minutes away. We are surrounded by beautiful, rolling hills that used to be populated with the homes of families that thrived from coal mines and steel mills. Most of the mines and mills are all closed now, leaving in their place huge, rusting and dilapidated industrial shells of what once was.
Coal and steel used to rule in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. My father was a preacher and my mom worked hard as a secretary. More families than not out our way had someone working in a coal mine or at a steel mill, and when they closed down, things got bad—fast.
Unemployment skyrocketed. It became a daily plague for thousands of permanently laid-off coal miners, steelworkers and their families. Self-worth is defined by a job and unemployment dramatically altered so many small towns in the area as stores closed up and businesses moved away, leaving hundreds if not thousands of local residents with uncertain futures.
The economy drastically changed overnight for so many a generation ago, as U.S. steel production moved overseas and coal was replaced by other fuel sources. It left few good job options for young people coming out of high school or college. Many of the friends and families we grew up with moved away to find work in other parts of the country—or stayed and faced the reality of low-paying jobs.
While my three brothers went to college and have decent paying jobs in the area, I chose a different path. I entered a union apprenticeship program with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters right out of high school. I spent my four-year paid apprenticeship getting on-the-job training and tons of practical experience. I found out real quick that advances in technology are an integral and necessary part of the craft of carpentry.
The job skills of my fellow carpenters have changed a great deal since I first entered the union back in 2005. We are now involved in building and maintaining numerous components of modern-day life, whether it's in the home or the workplace, on the roads, bridges, and rails we travel on or our nation's energy infrastructure.
The latest training in cutting-edge technology has drastically enhanced the craftsmanship and productivity of our members. While we still possess the basic old school skills that we are known for—and which allowed me to build my own four-bedroom, 2,400 square foot home with the help of family and friends—the future for carpenters and other skilled union trades people is based on continuing education and on-going workforce development and technology training.
"Old school" versus "new school" energy solutions aren't in competition. They can, should and do exist side by side and complement each other with the ultimate goal of providing cleaner energy products while creating good-paying, permanent jobs for local residents. This transition period will allow us to combine cleaner burning fossil fuel technology with new green sources of energy.
As I drive these beautiful hills that surround my home, I am conscious that a lot of local families aren't as fortunate my wife and I. We built a beautiful home where she is able to home-school our three children because of my job at Longview.
Others are not as fortunate and feel lost and forgotten in today's rapidly-changing economy and laser-fast world of instant social media communication. While things are bad, especially right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still hope in these beautiful hills.
We love where we were born and where we are raising our families, and we are very conscious of the environmental and economic impact of the energy industry and climate change. That's why my union and our community are working with business leaders in the energy industry to produce cleaner, greener and safer energy products that will provide good-paying, family sustaining jobs for current and future generations of workers.
Steve Mayak is the Site Superintendent for Longivew Power and a member of Local Union 436 of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.
The views in this article are the writer's own.
