A sign on the front door of the South Tamaqua Coal Pockets Inc. facility in West Penn Township tells customers that the location will not be loading retail coal for an unknown length of time “due to the current shortage of coal”.
Unofficial, but reliable, information states that most of the facility’s workers are no longer employed.
South Tamaqua Coal Pockets Inc. owns a total of about 40 acres of land in West Penn Township; of which, is located on both sides of State Route 309 northwest of the Dairy Road/Clamtown Road intersection in the township.
According to Schuylkill Parcel Locator, one of the three buildings on the property dates as far back as the 1940’s. The latest deed sale occurred May 29, 1963.
Although the detailed reason why they are unable to load retail coal is currently a mystery, the global and industrial demand for the low-cost fuel have placed a strain on Pennsylvania anthracite coal supplies. Since much of Pennsylvania’s Anthracite coal is sometimes bought on contract by large industries before it is mined, miner’s often find themselves unable to dig it up fast enough to please all foreign, out-of-state or even local coal customers.
According to the US Census Bureau, approximately 1.4 percent of Pennsylvania households, and about 15 percent of Schuylkill County households, used coal as a primary heat source in 2010.
The sign (dated February 5, 2015) on the door reads:
Customers of South Tamaqua Coal Pockets:
Due to the current shortage of coal, this location will not be loading retail coal for an unknown length of time.
The owners and managers are sorry for any inconvenience this will cause you.
You may purchase coal at these other places:
South Tamaqua Coal Pocket’s facility at Tuscarora Coal Company.
– Hours: M-F from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM; Saturday from 8 AM to 12 PM.
– Address: 50 Breaker Road, Middleport PA 17953.
– Phone: (570) 277-9014.
American Premium Coal Company.
– Address: 1217 Clamtown Road, Tamaqua PA 18252.
– Phone: (570) 386-4987.
A few recent, related remarks from anonymous people on Facebook read:
– “Hardly anyone is mining coal, so they can’t get any raw coal.”
– “OSHA put so many regulations on the coal companies who were mining the coal, that it became impossible to do it anymore.”
– “The government is to blame.”
– “I blame it on diminishing reserves, sluggish markets and restrictive federal Environmental Protection Agency regulations.”
Click HERE to view a CAMA Card via Schuylkill Parcel Locator website with information about the company’s main facility in West Penn.
Click HERE to view a story in the Morning Call dated December 25, 2011, titled, “IN SHORT SUPPLY: King Coal makes comeback as fuel supply; Miners can’t dig up the low-cost fuel fast enough to satisfy demand”.
Click HERE to view a reply to a Letter To The Editor submission in the Morning Call dated January 3, 2015, from John Hadesty of Tamaqua, titled, “Clean coal plans affect Pennsylvania”.
Click HERE to view a story in the Reading Eagle dated December 1, 2011, titled, “Anthracite shortage as fuel goes overseas.”
Stay tuned to this story as more information becomes available.
TamaquaArea.com photos:
TamaquaArea.com 