“This region has always been promised, promised, promised, but very few deliveries have been made,” says Ebensburg native Bill Wills.

But this project was supposed to be different. Sun Coke's proposed plant had the backing of Governor Rendell, who came to Cambria County to promote it 18 months ago.

Sun Coke hasn't given a specific reason for allowing their permit to run out, but the Cambria County Commissioners say litigation and a coal market downturn stood in its way.

“It's frustrating for people living here. Everyone wants a decent job,” adds Wills.

“It's like we're working minimum wage, but milk and food and everything goes up,” says Carol Hudson of Ebensburg.

Environmental groups were fighting the proposed plant to ensure minimal mercury emissions. Although most people we spoke with weren't worried about environmental concerns with the plant, there are those that see the plant not coming as a possible good thing.

“We could use a thousand jobs in this area, but if it hurts the environment, I’m not sure if it's worth the price. This area's been hurt so many times before with coal manufacturing. There's a lot of pollution in this area that hurt it,” says Kitty Havener of Nanty Glo.