A Wyoming coal mine that supplies fuel to a power plant that will be converted to burn gas instead of coal will lay off 19 workers. They're the latest of thousands of jobs lost in recent years in the beleaguered U.S. coal industry. Black Butte Mine Manager Steve Gili said Wednesday no further layoffs are planned after the layoffs in mid-December. The mine exists primarily to provide coal to the nearby Jim Bridger Power Plant, which is to undergo conversion to burn gas instead of coal. Such shifts and more renewable energy have cut U.S. coal mine employment by about half over the past decade.
