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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 20 January 2022
Colorado coal town grapples with future as plant shuts down

By PATTY NIEBERG Associat- ed businesses.
ed Press/Report for Ameri- "We can't recover from
ca that," Beck said.
CRAIG, Colorado (AP) — In A scenario put together by
a quiet valley tucked away the Moffat County assessor
from Colorado's bustling ski found that the economic
resorts, far from his home- situation would only get
town in northern Mexico, worse as the plant's three
Trinidad Loya found a way units shut down over time.
to support his family's Amer- According to the forecast,
ican dream: Coal. in 10 years when the entire
He, his son and grandson powerplant shuts down,
— all named Trinidad Loya it would take 65 Super
—worked for the coal plant Walmarts and 93 Hamp-
in Craig, Colorado, with the ton Inns to replace the as-
eldest Loya starting more sessed value, Beck said.
than 30 years ago. The The loss of coal jobs in a
plant currently employs 180 community like Craig also
people, paying higher sala- will hurt small businesses
ries and bringing far more whose customers are pri-
job security than most other marily coal workers and
jobs in the area. have disposable income,
But that's all about to said Jennifer Holloway,
change. of the worsening effects the time," Loya said. soon the area became a executive director of the
The coal plant is closing, of human-caused climate ___ money-maker for the oil Craig Chamber of Com-
along with the mine that change. Only a few towns Craig sits in the heart of industry and then a source merce.
feeds it and has nearly 115 have a viable plan to tran- Colorado's western front, of uranium. The oil fields That's bad news for Gino's

more employees, and all sition to cleaner energy, only 40 miles (64 kilometers) and uranium mills left Craig Pizzeria, the West Twin Cin-
the workers will lose their like one in Wyoming cho- from the popular Steam- by the 1960s as demands ema and Thunder Rolls
jobs over the next decade, sen for a Bill Gates-backed boat Springs ski area. changed, but by the 1970s, Bowling Center.
according to Tri-State Gen- nuclear power plant. Cows and lambs graze on coal was king in Colorado When discussions about the
eration and Transmission The impact spreads be- farmlands. Creeks stream with companies buying end of coal began, many
Association Inc. which par- yond the plants workers out of the nearby rivers. up mines and others like in the town were in denial
tially owns and operates and is felt by the rest of the Deer traverse downtown Colorado-Ute Electric As- and some thought the de-
the Craig Station. community, too. In Craig, Craig at night, munch- sociation purchasing lands cision would waver with the
That will mean a tough much of the infrastructure ing on grass and curiously to build a power plant. This political winds.
transition for the Loyas of the county is supported peeking around closed would eventually become But that hasn't happened,
and other workers who've by the coal plant workers, storefronts and offices. The the Craig Station. and people are now fac-
made a life in Craig, a ru- who make an average of rural escape is why many of Now, the town is changing ing the reality of the loss of
ral town with a population $100,000 a year, compared those who grow up in Craig again. their way of life.
9,000 that draws elk hunters with a $40,000 average sal- choose to stay. The owners of the Craig "We're taking people who
from around the world to its ary across the county. In winter months, the town, Station decided to close generationally have been
scenic surroundings. Now, some workers will re- known as the elk hunting the 1,285-megawatt, three- taught that they are the
"A power plant job, espe- tire, while others, like the capital of the world, houses unit plant over a ten-year heroes in this story and
cially in a rural community younger Loyas, must find thousands of hunter groups period. Unit 1 and 2, owned suddenly they don't dif-
like Craig -- those are what a new way to support their donned in camouflage by PacifiCorp, Platte River ferentiate between coal
I call cradle to grave jobs," families, and possibly leave and bright orange who Power Authority, Salt River is bad and they are bad,"
said Richard Meisinger, Craig behind. come to the area in search Project, Tri-State Genera- said Sasha Nelson, execu-
business manager of the On Monday, the youngest of game. Tens of thousands tion and Transmission As- tive director of workforce
111 chapter of Interna- Loya, started an appren- of hunters stay in the town's sociation and Xcel Energy, education and economic
tional Brotherhood of Elec- ticeship position at anoth- hotels and frequent the lo- are set to close in 2025 and development at Colorado
trical Workers union which er Tri-State owned facility cal restaurants. According 2028. Unit 3, solely owned Northwestern Community
represents the bargain- across the state in Pueblo to a Colorado Parks and by Tri-State, will retire by College in Craig. "That is the
ing unit at the Craig plant — some 300 miles (483 ki- Wildlife report, the hunting 2030. As the coal industry message that we're send-
and nearly 4,200 members lometers) away from Craig industry brought $136 mil- goes, so will nearly half of ing to some extent and
across Colorado and Wyo- where he lives with his wife lion to northwest Colorado Moffat County's gross do- that's a hard one for proud
ming. "People hire on there and two children, ages 7 in 2017. mestic product, Peterson people, for hard-working
when they're young antici- and 3. When he's not work- Moffat County is made up said. It could affect services people, people who strug-
pating that they are going ing as a sub-station tech- of millions of acres of pub- like healthcare, fire depart- gled, to be receiving. And
to work at that power plant nician there, he plans on lic lands, and its mineral ments, infrastructure and there's a lot of resistance
there their entire workable making the five-hour drive deposits of high-volatility upkeep for neighborhoods and pushback."
lifespan." to come home and see his and low-sulfur coal brought and roadways. ___
The same scenario is play- family. He took a pay cut the industry to town and According to Ray Beck, for- Tim Osborn, the power
ing out in other small towns for the position. sustained families for de- mer Moffat County com- plant manager, estimates
across the U.S. After de- He's holding out hope a job cades. missioner and mayor of that they'll lose another 10
cades of relying on coal for opens at the Craig plant The town has reinvented it- Craig, the county's biggest or so workers in 2022.
their workforce, tax base due to job movement with- self before. source of revenue is prop- "I forecasted all the way
and way of life, the towns in the plant. In the mean- What was once a last stop erty tax. Moffat County's out to 2029 and we should
face uncertain futures as time, he'll stay with a sister on the Denver and Salt 2020 assessed value was have about 100 people
new state and national in Pueblo and hope for the Lake Railway which al- nearly $430 million with 62% here — if they're all here
legislation forces the retire- best. lowed for nationwide ag- coming from the top 10 in 2029 — that are age 55
ment of fossil fuels because "It felt right to our family at ricultural exports like wool, taxpayers, all energy-relat- and up," Osborn said. q