There's no lack of studies on the impact of coal on the environment, the economy and the life and health of people living in a region like Appalachia, the heart of which is West Virginia.
There's no lack of studies on the impact of coal on the environment, the economy and the life and health of people living in a region like Appalachia, the heart of which is West Virginia.
Papers by researchers Michael Hendryx of West Virginia University and Melissa Ahern of Washington State University say the coal industry generates more than $8 billion annually in economic benefits in Appalachia, but premature deaths in the region cost about $42 billion.
Deaths result from mining accidents, occupational diseases, health and social problems aggravated by global warming from greenhouse gases blamed on burning coal.
Researchers concentrated on Appalachia, where they say coal production will peak in 20 years and go into permanent decline and finally death to the industry.
Their prediction strikes me and doubtless many, many others as premature in the global light of coal facts. Coal is a great source of energy in the world. Daily, it becomes more important to meet increasing needs for energy by a growing world's population.
Today, in this country, coal generates 50 percent of electricity used for everything from a light bulb to a microwave oven to a computer.
By most accounts, West Virginia has sufficient coal reserves to last 250 years. It's not an idle boast that Boone County alone has enough reserves to fulfill the nation's energy needs for 100 years.
What's more, coal all over has a bristling challenge to convert coal into liquid fuels, fertilizers and other products for the marketplace. The fuels question is critical.
There's no lack of studies on the impact of coal on the environment, the economy and the life and health of people living in a region like Appalachia, the heart of which is West Virginia.
Papers by researchers Michael Hendryx of West Virginia University and Melissa Ahern of Washington State University say the coal industry generates more than $8 billion annually in economic benefits in Appalachia, but premature deaths in the region cost about $42 billion.
Deaths result from mining accidents, occupational diseases, health and social problems aggravated by global warming from greenhouse gases blamed on burning coal.
Researchers concentrated on Appalachia, where they say coal production will peak in 20 years and go into permanent decline and finally death to the industry.
Their prediction strikes me and doubtless many, many others as premature in the global light of coal facts. Coal is a great source of energy in the world. Daily, it becomes more important to meet increasing needs for energy by a growing world's population.
Today, in this country, coal generates 50 percent of electricity used for everything from a light bulb to a microwave oven to a computer.
By most accounts, West Virginia has sufficient coal reserves to last 250 years. It's not an idle boast that Boone County alone has enough reserves to fulfill the nation's energy needs for 100 years.
What's more, coal all over has a bristling challenge to convert coal into liquid fuels, fertilizers and other products for the marketplace. The fuels question is critical.
Some energy players and observers would replace coal in particular and other fossil fuels in general with wind, solar and other renewable sources of energy with reputations friendly to the environment.
Financier T. Boone Pickens leads development of windmill farms on former oil patches in Texas where he made his fortune. He prices the initial windmill project at $10 billion. He's a standout.
But 'tis true one swallow doesn't make a spring, particularly during predictions of coal's death at the start of summer. Coal power is needed to help folks keep cool.
Coal technology brightens for the industry and consumers. For example, FutureGen Alliance gets new incentive for a proposed plant in Illinois. Incentive and promise of financial aid come from the energy program of the Obama administration.
The plant is designed to remove 90 percent of coal emissions to be channeled into geological formations deep underground, also to help enhance oil production.
In West Virginia, TransGas Development LLC plans to build a coal-to-liquids plant in Mingo County. It calls for conversion of 8,000 tons of coal a day into 18,000 barrels of gas.
The plant is expected to go on line with 200 employees by 2013. That doesn't sound anyway like death to coal predicted by researchers.
Peeks is a retired business/labor editor of the Gazette.
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