Today is a happy day. I am excited to be here with you, and with the workers of the Loveridge Mine and their families, to celebrate some truly good news.

I am happy to announce that, according to Pete Lilly, Loveridge should begin full production starting late next week. That's ahead of schedule, and very good news for miners, their families, and all the communities in Marion and adjoining counties.

One year ago last week, a fire ignited in the Loveridge Mine, 940 feet below the surface. That fire quickly tore through the mine. All the employees were safely evacuated, but the severity of this major fire meant that production was idled, and 300 workers were temporarily laid off.

It soon became clear that it would be a long time before the fire could be extinguished … and before those men and women could go back to work.

Fortunately, at the Department of Energy, one of the things we work on is finding ways to improve the safety and operation of mines.

And because of our Department's ambitious research and development expertise, we are constantly looking at all sorts of ways - from the conventional to the non-traditional - to solve problems.

In this case, conventional fire-fighting methods - namely, sealing the mine to deprive the fire of oxygen and letting it burn out - would take care of the problem and put out the fire … eventually.

To our way of thinking, "eventually" was too long to wait when people's jobs and livelihoods were at stake.

So we quickly moved forward with an unconventional approach. Working with safety experts from the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration; West Virginia's Office of Miner's Health, Safety, and Training; the United Mine Workers; and the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health, last May we arranged to bring a modified jet engine from Australia, we placed it at the mouth of the mine, and flipped the switch.

The engine blew water vapor and inert gases into the mine to smother the fire. Within ten days, rescue teams were able to enter to begin exploration and rehabilitation.

Ten days.

It would have taken more than 10 months to extinguish the fire using conventional methods.

I am proud we were able to adapt and to find a solution to a vexing technological problem. I am even prouder that we were able to play a part in putting people back to work.

Many of the things we do in government draw criticism. Sometimes the Department of Energy attracts critics for the investment we put into scientific research. We are constantly asked, "Where is the payoff?"

I've got an answer: Right here in Fairview, West Virginia.

This work is important, and when I think about the miners and other Loveridge employees going back to work, no one could convince me otherwise.

Just as President Bush and our Department are committed to addressing the safety issues that relate to coal, we are also very committed to making sure that coal remains central to the production of power in the United States.

All of us here today recognize that a lot of environmental issues have been raised concerning the production and use of coal. Some people use those concerns as an excuse to say we shouldn't use coal.

You and I know better.

At the Department of Energy, we believe that we should put investments in place to ensure that we can always use coal, and that we can use it in an environmentally safe fashion.

That's why we have been increasing our budgets for clean coal technology. It is why we are moving full-speed ahead on FutureGen, a significant program to develop the world's first zero-emissions, coal-fired power plant. FutureGen will cost nearly $1 billion and take 10 years to build. When operational, FutureGen will be the cleanest fossil fuel-fired power plant in the world … and it will ensure the continued use of coal for decades to come.

We are investing so much in Clean Coal and FutureGen because we are committed to ensuring coal remains central to America's energy future.

We want to make coal-fired generation totally safe, in terms of pollution and in terms of carbon emissions.

And we want the people who work on the front lines know that their jobs are safe.

This Administration knows how important coal is to our nation, and we recognize how important the people are who mine our most abundant energy resource.

We appreciate your hard work, and the pride you take in your contribution to America's energy security.

The combination of sound government policy, as exemplified by President Bush's energy plan; technological innovation, as promoted and developed by the mining industry; and the dedication of America's mine workers, will get the job done.

Working together, we can and will ensure America's energy future, West Virginia's future, and your industry's future.