At the Sufco mine in Sevier County, there is a lot of activity. One of the biggest endeavors is to stay safe to mine coal in a long tradition.
About 50 miles east of Richfield in Sevier County — past Salina — there is an obscure exit on I-70 that brings you to a stop sign.
From there, you take a left turn and wind up on Convulsion Road.
That name gives pause to a new traveler. Is Dead Man’s Curve up ahead?
Eventually, following a winding, uphill climb, one encounters a flurry of activity at Sufco, a Southern Utah Fuel Company mine that opened in 1941 and is Utah’s most prolific producer of coal.
In a rural county like Sevier, this workhorse is vitally important and is the county’s largest private employer, with workers who make 105% above the average wage.
On Tuesday, Utah Sen. John Curtis, members of his staff, members of Sen. Mike Lee’s staff and others toured the mine following a roundtable discussion at city hall in Richfield and the 50-mile drive to the obscure exit.
Curtis, a founder of the Conservative Climate Caucus and an advocate of clean energy, said it is still important to preserve Utah’s coal industry and keep the state firmly grounded in an all-of-the-above energy strategy. Curtis said he is not blind to the country’s need for firm, baseload energy.
“I am supportive of all forms of energy,” he said. “We want all of our energy sectors to be prosperous.”
He emphasized that nuclear has to be part of the equation, as well as the continued pursuit of more geothermal resources, renewables and natural gas.
Utah has benefited from energy diversity, enjoying the lowest average monthly utility bills in the country. States like Connecticut and Hawaii pay twice the amount as do Utah consumers, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Struggles and triumphs
The fossil fuel industry has taken hits in recent years with shifting policies enacted by the Biden and Obama presidential administrations.
Many coal-fired power plants have been retired, and in 2024 Biden pushed pause on liquefied natural gas exports. That derailed the construction of what would have been largest LNG plant in the United States.
In 2015, the Carbon power plant shut down after a new rule on mercury emissions was issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It was Utah’s oldest power plant and a vital player in the economy of Carbon County.
At the time, the EPA figured the rule would impact 40% of the nation’s suite of power plants and many 1950s-era plants would be forced to retire in lieu of costly capital investments.
For those in the coal mining industry, as well as the producers of natural gas and oil, the ship is starting to move in a different direction after the 2024 election of President Donald Trump.
Trump wants permitting reform. He wants energy dominance. He wants expedited environmental reviews for coal leases.
Earlier this month, the Skyline Mine in Utah became the first in the country to receive the benefit of an accelerated review of its environmental impacts for a planned expansion. That was due to action by Trump.
Curtis said this new approach is a jump-start for the country and particularly Utah.
The reforms are vital, he added.
“This is really important. What we want is not for Utah to just be known for oil and coal and gas. We want Utah to be known for energy. We want all of our energy sectors to flourish and be prosperous.”
Curtis said the United States has to be the country in which other nations depend on for energy.
“And we want Utah to be the leader. And the way we do that is to make every electron important, no matter where it comes from.”
Challenges remain
Ryan Barney, vice president of Barney Trucking, said there is pressure on his industry and it does little good to mine the coal if there is not a way to transport it.
“It is not a sexy job.”
He said trucking often gets a bad rap and people don’t go to school to major in trucking.
The freight industry, however, needs to be acknowledged as a critical player, he emphasized.
Many of the roundtable participants stressed the importance of permitting reform.
Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, said the time it takes to get a new transmission line or other infrastructure has reached a point at which it is ridiculous.
Albrecht worked for Garkane Energy, a rural electric cooperative, for 40 years and was its chief executive officer for 23 years before his retirement.
While he did run the state’s first nuclear energy bill last year — opening up new possibilities for Utah with the establishment of a nuclear consortium — he emphasized his heart lies in coal country.
“I realized I am a coal guy and always will be. We are going to need coal for many years before we get over this bridge.”
Opponents to the fossil fuel industry continue to bring lawsuits that entangle and can derail projects indefinitely.
It is a battle that everyone at the roundtable acknowledged but few knew how to change.
Checks and balances are important, as is the desire to have clean air, clean water and land not riddled with toxins.
Curtis and others at the discussion said no one in the room disputes that.
Despite the pressure, Utah is not giving up on coal.
In a statement from Emy Lesofski, the governor’s energy adviser and director of the Office of Energy Development, she said the state recognizes the tradition coal has embedded in the fabric of Utah history.
“Coal has played a significant and long-standing role in Utah’s energy mix for decades, fueling local economies, providing good-paying jobs and ensuring our residents enjoy reliable and affordable power,” she said.
“New energy technologies aren’t just focused on intermittent resources — they’re also helping traditional fuels like coal evolve into more sustainable energy sources.”
Brian Somers, president of the Utah Mining Association, pointed out the tug and pull of mining against the backdrop of environmental concerns.
He said the conundrum can be addressed due to safety practices in the United States and regulations in place that other countries lack.
The culture of mining
At Sufco, the miners are simply going about doing their job. The majority of the time, it is not about politics but about bringing home a paycheck.
A man they call Rambo is giving a safety briefing. There is a long check list of how to keep safe in an underground mine.
Young men in hardhats and other gear are clocking out after their shift. Others will take their place in an upcoming shift.
They walk by a continuous mining machine, bright yellow with knobs and a bevy of bells and whistles that facilitate long haul mining.
It is equipment worth $2.5 million and is operated by a hand held device — much like a video gaming controller.
But in this world, it is not a game. It is about staying safe and producing a form of energy that helps keep the lights on.
The miners are dirty and dusty and their conversations are often threaded with spicy expletives. It is a different world than what people may be used to on the Wasatch Front.
While Utah’s reliance on coal has dropped by about 30% since 2015, these black chunks of coal continue to have staying power in Utah and elsewhere in the West.
Many people have carved out a career in mining here at one of the largest underground mines in the United States. It is also the oldest continually operated mine in the country.
Wolverine Fuels, which operates Skyline, Sufco and other mines in Utah, produces 11 million tons of thermal coal.
Don Ervine occupies the “captain’s chair” in the monitor room at Sufco.
He’s been in mining for over four decades.
You could think of him as “Oz” or the man behind the curtain. He makes sure everyone is safe and has his eyes peeled on a computer screen watching. As the miners end their shift they check in at his counter.
He’s seen the industry change over the years, becoming safer and more practiced in the skill of extracting coal.
Ervine used to be an underground man, but moved to the monitoring room as the years settled in. Mining is not an easy job. It’s tough and demanding.
But mining operations are what he knows and it is under his skin.
“This has been my life.”
Source: Utah News
