Consol Energy Announces Layoffs

{Bickmore, West Virginia}...Pittsburgh-based Consol Energy announced Friday it is planning to idle its Fola Operations near Bickmore in Clay County on August 30th, affecting 318 workers, including surface and underground miners, and reclamation and office staff. Consol said it expects 2012 production to be reduced by 800,000 tons. So far this year, the Fola complex has produced more than 1 million tons of coal. Until the layoffs begin, underground operations will continue, but surface employees will be reassigned from mining to reclamation work. President Nicholas DeIuliis says the warm winter left the company with huge stockpiles, and they can't accept more shipments. Consol says it needs to adjust to soft markets and declining demand, and there's "significant uncertainty" about whether power companies will continue to use Central Appalachian coal at their plants.