The 2025 closing of the Viper Coal Mine in Sangamon County left dozens of workers without jobs and exposed gaps in a state law designed to protect energy workers displaced by the ongoing transition away from fossil fuels, according to a new report from University of Illinois researchers.
Researchers concluded in the report that Knight Hawk Coal failed to file required closure notices and did not respond to repeated outreach attempts from state officials seeking to connect workers with job-placement and other assistance.
The U of I researchers said Knight Hawk’s delayed response to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity left little time for state officials to connect affected workers with assistance.
A Knight Hawk spokesperson said the company followed all applicable state rules.
