U.S. power plants are burning the least amount of coal seasonally in more than a decade, and yet supplies continue to climb. For the latest front in the war on coal, look no further than the Coffeen Power Station, about 60 miles south of Springfield, Illinois. Trains roll into Dynegy Inc.’s plant hauling coal mined halfway across the country in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin — even though there’s a mine just a few miles down the road. That galls Illinois state representative John Bradley, who’s pushing for legislation that’ll boost the use of the state’s own supply. “Powder River Basin coal is not as good as coal from Illinois,” Bradley, a Democrat, said by phone. “Illinoisans are sitting on better coal than any other in the country.” America’s coal miners are getting so desperate, beaten down by the lowest prices in eight years, increasing competition and mounting environmental regulations, […]