September 17, 2026 - The Pennsylvania Coal Alliance has announced winners of its annual mine safety and reclamation awards, recognizing companies across the Commonwealth for outstanding safety records and exemplary efforts to reclaim and restore coal mine lands.

The Keystone Mine Safety and Reclamation Awards were presented by state Reps. Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana, and Dallas Kephart, R-Clearfield. The alliance said those awards recognize the state coal industry’s commitment to protect its workforce while responsibly managing and restoring mine sites for future generations.

Those involved in this week’s Pennsylvania Coal Alliance award ceremony included, from left, state Rep. Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana; Rosebud Mining employees Jake Wells, Nick Drum and Scott Troutman; and Pennsylvania Coal Alliance Executive Director Rachel Gleason.

“Pennsylvania’s coal industry continues to demonstrate that safety and environmental stewardship are fundamental to responsible mining,” Struzzi said. “These award winners represent the best of the industry, from achieving exceptional employee safety records to restoring lands and waterways impacted by legacy mining.”

The Keystone Mine Safety Awards recognize companies for superior employee safety records based on Nonfatal Days-Lost rates and total man-hours worked. Rosebud Mining Company was honored locally in two categories:

Its Crooked Creek Mine near Creekside had a zero NFDL rate for 142,510 man-hours, for the “Large Continuous Mine” honor, while its Knob Creek Mine in Young Township had a zero NFDL rate for 86,914 man-hours for the “Small Continuous MIne” honor.

Nearby, RES Coal LLC’s Morrisdale mine was honored for “Large Surface Mine” honors for zero NFDL in 87,959 man-hours.

Kephart and Rep. Carl Metzgar, R-Somerset, presented PCA’s reclamation awards, recognizing what the Alliance termed exceptional work to restore land and improve environmental conditions associated with current and historic mining.

“Reclamation is an important part of Pennsylvania’s mining legacy,” Kephart said. “These projects show what can be accomplished when today’s mining operations apply modern standards and technology to restore land, improve water quality and create opportunities for productive future uses.”

RES Coal LLC received the “Best Overall Project Award” for outstanding reclamation work at its Shaw #2 site, reclaiming 73 acres of abandoned mine spoils, daylighting and eliminating 202 acres of legacy abandoned deep mines, reclaiming nearly 9,000 linear feet of abandoned highwalls, extending a public water line to the town of Croft and significantly improving Surveyor Run, a tributary of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc. of Pittsburgh received “Small Field Service Provider” honors for a zero NFDL rate in 10,333 man-hours.