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Hare pledges assistance to laid-off coal miners

Posted September 06, 2007 11:00 pm

Dana Heupel

U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, said Friday his office will investigate whether federal help is available for nearly 200 workers at the now-shuttered Crown II coal mine near Virden.

About 175 miners and 17 other workers lost their jobs last week when the mine shut down after it was sold to Springfield Coal Co., which purchased it and another Freeman Energy mine, Crown III near Farmersville, from General Dynamics. The Crown III mine was closed for several days but reopened Tuesday.

"My heart goes out to the miners that lost their jobs," Hare said in a news release. "My office will do everything in its power to care for these families in their time of need."

Tim Schlittner, a spokesman for Hare, said Friday, "We're hoping that the Crown II mine is reopened," since the new owner said it was being "closed indefinitely - not permanently."

"The congressman looks forward to talking to the new mine owners and helping them," Schlittner said. "One of their concerns was getting a long-term contract" for its coal reserves, and Hare's office hopes to help with that if it would mean that the Crown II mine could reopen.

Hare's staff also is talking to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin's office, Schlittner said, to coordinate any federal assistance that could be available for the laid-off employees and Macoupin County if the Crown II mine remains closed.

"He's preparing for that option, but remains hopeful that Crown II will be able to reopen," Schlittner said.

Hare has assigned Pam Monetti, a staff assistant in his Carlinville office, to the team that plans to meet with Springfield Coal officials next week.

Sales tax revenues generated through the Crown II mine provide 7 percent to 10 percent of Macoupin County's general fund budget, county board chairman Andrew Manar said earlier this week.

Dana Heupel can be reached at (217) 788-1518 or dana.heupel@sj-r.com.

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