The Changing Landscape of Appalachian Coal Extraction and its Externalities

Abstract

Coal has garnered a great deal of attention in our current political landscape, yet few are aware of the changing dynamics of coal in the United States and globally. The purpose of this presentation is to offer an update on Appalachian coal mining issues including: changes in production and use, bankruptcies, the resurgence of black lung, and legislative pitfalls surrounding the Black Lung Benefits Trust Fund. Using existing data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, I will provide a detailed look at the current coal landscape in the United States. Discussion will include specifics regarding energy generation in the United States, coal production, and export markets. Additionally, I will provide a detailed look at the problem of resurgent black lung in central Appalachia using in-depth interviews and participant observation data. Major findings will highlight the growing problem of black lung in central Appalachia and related issues of culpability, i.e. who will pay as the Black Lung Benefits Trust Fund continues to decline? This presentation is intended to be one segment of the “The ‘Glocal’ Challenges of Coal Extraction and Black Lung Disease Among Miners” panel