OFFICIALS IN GRUNDY, VIRGINIA SAY COAL MINING ACTIVITY IN THE REGION COULD PAVE THE WAY FOR THE COALFIELDS EXPRESSWAY. PIONEER AND ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES ARE BOTH MINING IN THE HAWK’S NEST SECTION OF BUCHANAN COUNTY. THE COAL COMPANIES ARE MINING COAL AT THE FUTURE SITE OF THE COALFIELDS EXPRESSWAY WHICH IN RETURN WILL ALLOW FOR THE CREATION OF THE ROADWAY BED. IN FACT, THE TWO COAL COMPANIES ARE WORKING WITH THE STATE AS PRIVATE PARTNERS IN THE EXPRESSWAY PROJECT. THE COALFIELDS EXPRESSWAY, ALSO KNOWN AT U.S. ROUTE 121, IS A PROPOSED FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY STRETCHING FROM POUND IN WISE COUNTY THROUGH DICKENSON AND BUCHANAN COUNTIES TO THE WEST VIRGINIA LINE.