Industry leaders and lawmakers make a stop in Raleigh County to discuss the future of the coal industry.
The West Virginia Coal Forum has been held in Charleston and Wheeling, and Thursday they continued their discussion in Beckley.
Their main topics have been the EPA's rules and their effect on the coal industry.
"All these regulations and the fact that they're not issuing permits in a predictable manner is causing so much uncertainty out here that it's beginning to affect the natural progression of jobs," said West Virginia Coal Association President Bill Raney.
"We can mine the coal," added Congressman Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., "we can surface mine the coal, even in an environmentally sound manner by repairing, by reclamation, put people to work and at the same time protect our environment."
Thursday's meeting took place at the Mountaineer Conference Center at the Country Inn and Suites on Harper Road.
Among the featured guests were Congressman Nick Rahall and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.
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