More than 2,000 coal mine workers and those associated with the industry across Oklahoma could be directly affected by President Trump’s signing of an executive order on Tuesday to boost coal production across the nation.
“We are bringing back an industry that was abandoned,” signalling his intent to revive coal mining jobs, which have decreased over the past decade,” said the President in signing the order.
The National Mining Association reported the order’s impact in Oklahoma won’t be great, but there remains a possibility it will affect the state’s coal industry.
As part of the order, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum was instructed to end a government moratorium on new coal leasing on federal lands. He will also process applications for royalty rate reductions from federal coal lessees as swiftly as possible.
The moratorium was created by President Obama and in 2020, Oklahoma was part of a legal fight for the moratorium as OK Energy Today reported at the time.
Coal Mining Jobs in Oklahoma
Mine Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Support Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Total Direct Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Indirect and Induced Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,808
Total Direct and Indirect Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,067
Coal Mining Contribution to GDP
(millions of dollars)
Direct Contribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Indirect and Induced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Total Contribution to GDP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Coal Mining Labor Income (millions of dollars)
Direct Contribution to Labor Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Indirect and Induced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Total Contribution to Labor Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
According to the National Mining Association, Oklahoma has 3,335 mining jobs with another 4,199 employed in support activities. The total direct and indirect jobs in the state’s mining industry is 20,890.
In economic terms, the mining industry’s contribution to the GDP or Gross Domestic Product includes a direct total of $1,178 million. A breakdown of direct, indirect and induced contribution shows a total GDP contribution of $2,723 million.