The Panther Creek Energy facility in Nesquehoning processed over 150,000 tons of waste coal last year, continuing its dual mission of producing power and reducing waste coal banks around the anthracite region.

But the power plant, which once operated year round, is only operating about one-third of the year because they are facing more competition than ever, particularly from natural gas plants.

State Sens. John Yudichak, D-Luzerne, and David Argall, R-Schuylkill, are crossing party lines in an effort to change that. They are proposing expanding a tax credit, giving the industry a hand so they can remain competitive.

On Friday they hosted a group of state representatives and industry representatives at Panther Creek in order to announce the proposed tax credit, which would help the 13 remaining waste coal processing plants.

“This plant has done so much along with its sister plants across the state, using local fuel, using local workers to create a lot of energy. In so doing, they have removed massive piles of waste coal from all over Northeast Pennsylvania and Western Pennsylvania,” Argall said.

The Coal Refuse Energy and Reclamation Tax Credit currently provides $10 million per year for the waste coal industry in Pennsylvania, and it’s set to expire in 2026. Yudichak and Argall want to extend the tax credit another 10 years, and expand it to $45 million per year.

Waste coal plants face a lot of competition from natural gas power plants, which cost less to operate. Right now, they are only in use when demand spikes during the winter and summer months. Right now, four of the 13 plants are operating on part-time schedules.

Sean Lane, the president of Panther Creek’s owner, Olympus Power, says operating waste coal power plants is more of a mission than a job. Not only does it create energy, but also it allows abandoned mine sites.

But officials say their dual mission, as well as the jobs they create, make waste coal plants worth saving.

“We’ve been able to maintain the 3,600 jobs in the coal refuse industry but we should be growing those jobs,” Yudichak said.

In other parts of Yudichak’s district, waste coal operations have created economic opportunity. He credited the reclamation efforts of the state’s waste coal plants with clearing land for a new development in Luzerne County, which will employ 4,000 people.

“We’ve reclaimed thousands of acres of mine-scarred land. Only because we have a private partner in the coal refuse industry,” Yudichak said.

Argall said that the Anthracite region already looks a lot greener than it once did, thanks to coal refuse plants, and wants that to continue.

“Our goal is that someday our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will experience even more green — fewer gray and black landscapes as a direct result of this legislation.”

State Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, said the amount that the state invests in the tax credit is well worth it in the environmental and economic benefits to the state.

He said Panther Creek alone provides about 100 jobs when it is operating at capacity.

“We talk about clean energy and green energy, recycling, this is alternative energy. This is recycling. It really needs to continue in our region,” Heffley said.