Coal Mining: Pros and Cons

"The average internet user (12 hours per week) uses over 300 pounds of coal annually for this purpose."When listening to Dan Miller speak on behalf of Friends of Coal, I found his statistics rather boring until flipping through the booklet he handed out listing quick facts on coal, I found this fact. Previously unknown to me, this fact was shocking because as a person on the outside of the battle between friends of coal and environmental activists, I was taking such a large role in the consumption of coal. I am on the internet many more than twelve hours a week; I am consuming more than 300 pounds of coal annually from a state that provides 50% of all American coal exports.

As I have come to realize, the mining of coal is not just about either being for it or against it. There are political, economic, social and environmental aspects to it that all need to be considered before one "chooses sides." Politically, mining is hindered with the Clean Water Act of 1972 and the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. A limit enforced by the Clean Water Act is that all pollution discharge (including from coal mines) are required to have permits issued by the National Discharge Pollution Elimination System process. Limits are also placed on the type and amount of discharge. This puts a strain on coal companies who do mountaintop removal mining. When the tops of mountains are removed for the coal to be extracted, the excess dirt is dumped into the adjacent valley. Limits on the amount of discharge from these mine sites into nearby streams severely hurt the cost of mining companies. The SMCRA requires mine operators to develop restoration plans before mining. Environmental groups rejoice at this and the CWA's requirements but both political decisions affect coal companies economically. Restoring a mine site to almost the same condition as it was before it was mined is no inexpensive feat.