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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Governor Beshear Proclaims ‘Coal Miners Appreciation Week’
Proclamation to be presented to Rep. Rick Nelson by Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo
PINEVILLE, KY— Governor Steve Beshear is proclaiming this week “Coal Miners’ Appreciation Week” in conjunction with Rep. Rick Nelson’s 2011 legislation designating the third week in August as a time to honor coal miners.
The legislation, which Beshear signed earlier this year, asks the governor to issue a proclamation and asks coal mining businesses and all citizens of Kentucky to observe the week.
“Coal mining is one the most important jobs in the Commonwealth and it is helping move Kentucky’s economy forward,” Gov. Beshear said. “Since 93 percent of Kentucky’s electricity needs are fueled by coal mined by Kentucky miners, I am proud to issue this proclamation in honor of all our miners and their families.”
Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo will present Rep. Nelson, of Middlesboro, with the proclamation on Friday at a ceremony in Pineville at the Pineville Community Hospital at 1 p.m.
“I grew up in the heart of Eastern Kentucky and watched coal trucks rumble up and down the roads,” Lt. Gov. Mongiardo said. “These coal miners patronized the family store; went to the local hospital for medical treatments and gave back to the community. This is an opportunity to say thanks to them.”
Rep. Nelson said it is his hope that during the week teachers will talk about the coal industry and encourage their students to display pictures and write essays about relatives who work in the coal mines.
“Coal provides more than 90 percent of the electricity across the Commonwealth,” Rep. Nelson said. “It provides another 50 percent for the rest of the country. It’s about time we show our appreciation for the hard work miners do and what it provides for communities across Kentucky.”
The proclamation, signed by Gov. Beshear, recognizes the more than 18,000 underground and surface miners who work to bring needed energy resources to Kentuckians and to the millions of others across the nation. The proclamation highlights how coal touches many lives – from the miners who remove the coal, to the truckers who haul it, to the plants that clean it, to the power plants that burn it.
The proclamation also celebrates the history of the mining industry in Kentucky.
“Miners are a very visible and important part of Kentucky’s heritage,” Gov. Beshear said. “The tens of thousands of miners who have gone before us have helped us become who we are today – a Commonwealth proud of its past and excited about its future.”
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