Retiring iCa president Gonet ‘very optimistic’ about future of state’s coal industry

摘要

When Phil Gonet was chosen to succeed as president of the Illinois Coal Association in 2003, the state’s coal production had bottomed at roughly 31 million st. He is retiring at the end of 2019, and Illinois coal output has slowly increased, to an estimated 49.4 million st in 2018. Gonet, who formerly headed Springfield City Water, Light & Power, understands the challenges facing US thermal coal and insisted in a Monday interview with S&P Global Platts he is “very optimistic” about Illinois’ coal future, especially in the short term and perhaps the long term as well.