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Fact mine-039

newofficial statementconfirmed Official claim holds: Carbon commissioner said no county coal output for ~4 years; state data show none after 2019
2026-09-17 · mine-039 · Larry Jensen, Carbon County Commission, Utah Geological Survey

At both Trust Lands hearings Carbon County Commissioner Larry Jensen said no coal had been produced in Carbon County for about four years (over four years, in August) and that the county's one remaining mine, Skyline, was producing in Sanpete County. The Utah Geological Survey's table of coal production by mine (2002-2024) shows the Carbon County mines Dugout Canyon, West Ridge and Horizon with no output after 2019, 2015 and 2012 respectively, and Skyline #3 output assigned to Carbon County last in 2018 (941,447 tons), with 2019-2023 output assigned only to Sanpete and Emery. Statewide output was 7.0 million tons in 2023, the lowest since 1975, and 7.4 million in 2024. The board chair's September remark that this was the 'first year in history' with no Carbon County coal is not borne out: the table shows none in 2020 through 2024 as well.

In plain termsThe commissioner's description of Carbon County's coal collapse is borne out by state data; if anything it understates how long it has been. This is the economic pressure county leaders cite for backing Valar.
verified 2026-09-29: Re-read 2026-09-29: both transcripts, UGS Table 2.8 (re-downloaded, identical) and Circular 139 match; quote exact. 2024 Skyline output is not split by county in the table. Headline wording 'none since 2019' changed to 'none after 2019' (2019 had output).

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