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Closing of Western Pennsylvania power plants leaves workers at a loss [Obama destroys 380 jobs]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | July 21, 2013 | Jessica Contrera

Posted on 07/21/2013 10:32:39 PM PDT by grundle

A job for life. That's what they were promised.

It wasn't in a contract, but to the 20 men who gathered for Bud Lights and commiseration Wednesday night in Greene County, working at a power plant was the equivalent.

"This was the job everybody wanted," said Ray Christner Jr. of Brownsville. "We had it. And now it's gone."

Nine days had passed since FirstEnergy announced it will shut down two power plants: Hatfield's Ferry, Greene County, across the Monongahela River from Masontown, Fayette County, and Mitchell in Union Township, Washington County, by Oct. 9 -- leaving 380 people without work.

"First, we were shocked. Then we were upset. Now, we're just angry," said Gregg Jerome of Uniontown, an electrician at the plant.

The employees are mainly from Greene, Fayette and Washington counties. Many started at the plants soon after high school and some have stayed for more than 30 years. Others were transferred to Hatfield's Ferry and Mitchell when FirstEnergy closed six coal-fired power plants in Ohio, Maryland and Pennsylvania last year.

Those at Hatfield thought the plant would surely be safe from closure, as Allegheny Energy invested $650 million on scrubbers meant to eliminate sulfur and mercury emissions just four years ago.

If the workers lived somewhere else, losing a job in the power business might not be as stressful. But in Pennsylvania, where coal-fired power production has decreased 28 percent since 2005, there are few, if any, jobs that can replace what the workers at Hatfield's Ferry and Mitchell had: regular hours, salaries between $22 and $30 per hour, and good benefits, all without a college education.

"I understand the importance of regulations and clean air," said technician David Donaldson, 45. "But ask Obama this -- what good is green energy to me if I can't support my family?"

(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: abortion; deathpanels; globalwarminghoax; greenenergy; obamacare; pennsylvania; pittsburgh; powerplants; zerocare
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To: grundle

Obummer promised us before he was elected in 2008
that he intended to destroy the electric generating
capacity of this country and cause the costs to
consumers for electricity to “skyrocket”. A criminal
and treasonous plan that he has carried out as intended.
He should be strung up from a lamppost for this....along
with the countless other crimes he has committed while
posing as a leader....when he in fact is just an Alinsky
trained puppet.


41 posted on 07/22/2013 5:11:22 AM PDT by nvscanman
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To: Hoodat

That is why I don’t read that fish wrap. I rather read the Tribune Reveiw. Also, when will those that allow their union leadership to support those that want to destroy their jobs going to wake up? Like what has been posted today, PA’s elections are controled by east and west part of the state.


42 posted on 07/22/2013 5:20:03 AM PDT by Busko (The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.)
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To: Lancey Howard
Whenever I see a story like this one, I wonder how many of those poor souls voted for the African communist Ubama in the first place. I just want to laugh at those morons.

Laugh all you want. Fayette, Green & Washington Counties, where these men and women work, all went for Romney.

43 posted on 07/22/2013 5:31:53 AM PDT by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: grundle

Let’s see....did western Pa. support Obama.......hummmmmmmm!!!!


44 posted on 07/22/2013 5:35:21 AM PDT by ontap (***)
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To: Ramcat

If they are union employees they supported Obama.....they may not have wanted to but they did.....can’t have it both ways...when it came time to choose between their paycheck and the country they chose their paycheck.....now they are finding out what they really chose!!!!!


45 posted on 07/22/2013 5:46:03 AM PDT by ontap (***)
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To: ontap

Voting for odumbo has its consequences now, doesn’t it?

I feel badly for those who lost their jobs but who really brought that on? Keep voting “demodummie” and it will eventually catch up with you.


46 posted on 07/22/2013 6:17:09 AM PDT by DaveA37 (I'm for SMALLER , HONEST government)
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To: Progov

To all those effected who voted for nobama/LIBs/DIMs...Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!


47 posted on 07/22/2013 6:55:12 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: ontap
Let’s see....did western Pa. support Obama.......hummmmmmmm!!!!

Here's an election 2012 map of Pennsylvania. You probably won't follow the link so I'll point out that only two Western PA counties went for Obama (Erie & Allegheny).

I will also point out that these are good people and good jobs that we're talking about.

http://www.politico.com/2012-election/map/#/President/2012/PA

48 posted on 07/22/2013 7:59:51 AM PDT by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: Progov
Kind of makes one wonder how those union meetings are going right now with the members knowing that 98% or more of their political money went to the people who are putting them out of work. Sorry...but it has it schadenfreude moment, don't you think!!!
49 posted on 07/22/2013 7:59:51 AM PDT by ontap (***)
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To: Wingy

Yep, and how many were union and contributed to Obama?


50 posted on 07/22/2013 8:00:45 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: Ramcat

See post 45 and 49!!!


51 posted on 07/22/2013 8:01:41 AM PDT by ontap (***)
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To: Alberta's Child
The biggest factor in the closure of these power plants in western Pennsylvania is probably the declining prices of natural gas as the development of Marcellus shale gas extraction unfolds.

Not accurate. It is the inability the meet the 'new' EPA mandate on CO2 emissions that is prompting this shutdown.

It's true that Nat Gas prices are low now, but they are still several times higher than coal prices for electrical generation. In addition, these plants served as base-load units, not cycling or peaking units which is where natural gas in typically used in generation applications.

This is all about Obama's illegal EPA "Greenhouse Gas" mandates.

52 posted on 07/22/2013 8:04:02 AM PDT by Ditto
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To: grundle

thanks to Obama the Job Killer


53 posted on 07/22/2013 8:04:05 AM PDT by ThomasMore (Islam is the Whore of Babylon!)
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To: grundle
"First, we were shocked. Then we were upset. Now, we're just angry," said Gregg Jerome of Uniontown, an electrician at the plant.

Did you vote for Barackula the Destroyer? He promised to do away with your job. Some of us believed him. That's (part of) why Wyoming, West Virginia and Kentucky voted majority for McCain/Palin and R0mney/Ryan. How 'bout you?

54 posted on 07/22/2013 8:06:11 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: ontap
See post 45 and 49!!! I saw them, BUT, I'm responding to your post #44 which is BS like the fact that you know how these men and women voted.

How can an group of Americans be gleeful when good paying jobs are lost.

Little wankers I guess?

55 posted on 07/22/2013 8:11:02 AM PDT by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: Lancey Howard

Very interesting.

56 posted on 07/22/2013 8:13:02 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Wingy

Only one SW Pennsylvania county went for Obama and that was Allegheny (Pittsburgh). All the rest, including the counties mentioned in the article, went for Romney.

57 posted on 07/22/2013 8:15:32 AM PDT by Ditto
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To: ArrogantBustard
Did you vote for Barackula the Destroyer? He promised to do away with your job. Some of us believed him. That's (part of) why Wyoming, West Virginia and Kentucky voted majority for McCain/Palin and R0mney/Ryan. How 'bout you?

According to this map, a greater majority than the country at large voted for Romney. Please get your facts straight before posting BS on the forum. These are good people and good jobs we're talking about here. http://www.politico.com/2012-election/map/#/President/2012/

58 posted on 07/22/2013 8:15:54 AM PDT by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: Ramcat
According to this map, a greater majority than the country at large voted for Romney.

A fact which can be determined from maps which I posted.

Please get your facts straight

I have. Again, see maps which I posted.

before posting BS on the forum.

Prove it or retract it. I posted no BS on this forum.

These are good people and good jobs we're talking about here.

I agree. They are related to good jobs and good people in WY, WV and KY. Those states voted majority for R0mney/Ryan and McCain/Palin. PA voted majority for Barackula the Destroyer. Twice.

If the individuals in this article voted for other than Barackula, they have my sympathy. I would offer them a job if I could.

If they voted for the Destroyer ...

They asked for it, and they don't really qualify as "good people".

59 posted on 07/22/2013 8:24:34 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: ontap
Let’s see....did western Pa. support Obama.......hummmmmmmm!!!!

See posts #56 and #57.

You'll find your answer there.

60 posted on 07/22/2013 8:25:47 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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