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The Pros And Cons Of The Coal Industry

662 Words3 Pages

The coal driven steam engine, invented in the 1700s, revolutionized the United States industry. Similar designs began being used to generate power. Today, such machines can be considered obsolete when compared to modern solutions. However, despite our massive advancements in technology, some states, including Kentucky, are still relying on the same principle to generate electricity. While many in Kentucky claim to be “friends of coal”, the use of fossil fuels for power is too costly, both economically and environmentally, to let a simple friendship with a piece of black rock stand in the way of more efficient means for energy production.
The number one problem with using coal for power is that coal is expensive. As of 2015, the cost of coal …show more content…

“Between 1979 and 2006, the state lost half of our coal jobs, and coal employment is now just 1% of the state’s employment total,” (KWA). According to Bill Estep, in 2016, “estimated employment in the industry [is] 6,900 as of April 1, according to the report by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet.” With so few people employed by the coal industry, it no longer makes sense to be wasting over $115 million a year for such a trivial task. Switching to nuclear, wind, hydroelectric, or any other form of power will create far more than 6900 jobs, most of which would be much safer, and likely better paying than employment as miners or factory …show more content…

According to analysis done by the NRDC, “The most recent data is from 2010, and that year, Kentucky’s power plants emitted more than 40 million pounds of toxic air pollution,” (Peterson). That is over 2250 liters of pollution per person in Kentucky. Kentucky, despite being mostly rural with a sparse population, has the pollution akin to large cities. Pollution from coal has a plethora of consequences, ranging from sulfur dioxide killing crops and wildlife in lakes, to ozone creating smog and causing cancers. Radiation from coal power plants can also be a problem. Fossil fuels, being far more radioactive than uranium or plutonium when burned, causes problems such as cancer, tumors, birth defects, and many more. Kentucky has banned nuclear power because of the radiation pollution that the radioactive waste produce, and we should do the same for coal power plants. These impacts on our environment shouldn’t be ignored, especially since there are cheaper and cleaner alternatives to

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This industry not only provides the populous with inexpensive power but also creates a steady employment option. Besides an increase in the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, the mass accumulation of coal ash and its leaks and spills into local rivers negatively affect the environment (“Energy-Related”). According to Earthjustice, “North Carolina generates over 5.5 million tons of ash per year” ("Coal Ash Contaminates”). In Eden, N.C. in 2014, the largest coal ash spill occurred, releasing 39,000 tons into the Dan River, which supplies drinking water to surrounding communities, a habitat for aquatic organisms, and recreational activities (Gallucci). Coal ash, also known as coal combustion residuals or CCRs, contains hazardous byproducts from power production, including arsenic, lead, mercury, and chromium, that can poison drinking water sources for humans and devastate wildlife habitats (“Coal Ash Basics”).

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Energy is a key factor in today's society, especially in Kentucky. Kentucky's main energy resource is coal, 91.8 percent of our energy comes from this resource but coal is nonrenewable, meaning that there is a limited amount of this type of fuel. Coal mining is also detrimental to the environment, people living and working in coal mining communities have a higher chance of getting lung cancer. with surface mining, this has been linked as a cause for poisoning local residences from the chemicals used in the mountaintop mining. there are still issues with the environment and natural wildlife in the surrounding areas of the coal mining as well.

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570 Words | 3 Pages

Since we were using up a massive amount of coal each year, we would have less cleaner air, a chance of the smoke in the air to start forest fires, and many other variables that would come into play. Also, using coal for multiple machines in a factory can be very hazardous. The machines could malfunction, causing an overload in energy which could end in an explosion. The air in the factory would also be basically fatal if not wearing the right protection. And if not using things like airlocks (which they didn’t have) it could spread to outside air and then animals would breath in the toxic air then die.

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532 Words | 3 Pages

Extracting such large amounts of coal at a time can create areas of problem for the land above ground. This can damage structures or buildings. Longwall mining can increase sulfate levels in water as well as disrupt animal habitats. The cons may be harmful, but the amount of income and jobs provided by this method overrule the

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Due to more and more cities switching from fossil fuels to cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy, coal became less and less a part of each Americans daily life. For example, in 1966, one of John Lindsays major campaign ideas that got him elected mayor of New York City planned to eliminate the use of coal in the city. He did this by “, requiring reduction of the maximum sulfur content of coal and oil from its original level of 2.8% to 1% in three stages in five years.” These sanctions made it impossible for coal to be used as a fuel source, leading New York to leave coal in the past and look for other methods of energy. However, just because coal vanished from parts of America, does not mean it disappeared entirely.

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The alternatives available at the moment are certainly unsatisfactory in many regards, nor are they well understood. So the issue is of high priority. Amy Jaffe also mentions that we are lowering the harm to the environment by ‘diversifying away from coal’. But ‘diversifying away’ implies alternatives, and she doesn’t provide any other than fracking. I intend to further research why countries like France banned fracking.

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I dont have the most current prices. In 2013 if you wanted to buy coal directly from a mine, the price would be roughly $37 a ton. If you wanted to buy it in in the same amount in the electronic form from a power company it would be

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In the first edition of this book called Coal Energy Systems written by the same author as Clean Coal Engineering Technology (Second addition) says that coal is the main energy source in the United States. The start of the second edition says that coal is the largest source of fuel in the world and exists in about 70 different countries. Coal can generate as much electricity as all the other energy sources combined and in the United States, coal is the abundant energy source. Coal has a big history of producing many pollutants into the atmosphere and has been contributed to many health problems. An act was put in place called The Clean Air Act Amendments if 1970.

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The greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides. While most of these gases occur in the atmosphere naturally, levels have been increasing due to the widespread burning of fossil fuels by growing human populations. The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has become a primary focus of environmental programs in countries around the world. Natural gas is cheaper and a more effiecent way to generate electrical power Oversee the implementation of Kentucky's comprehensive energy strategy. Provide leadership to enhance the benefits of energy efficiency and alternative energy through supporting awareness, technology development, energy preparedness, partnerships, and resource development.

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319 Words | 2 Pages

But lets carry on,coal mining is a good thing for most. This is because most people need power just to do their job. And without power from coal what would they do? That is the main quistion most wonder about. I think the economy without power would just go crazy,because it would lead to no comunication witch would be

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246 Words | 1 Pages

But some people think coal just can build fires with it or it is dangerous. Is coal inexpensive ? Coal is very inexpensive because they find and mine a bunch a year and they can sell it for cheap and have enough to still sell. On the other hand people

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As of January 1st, 2016, there are over 18.3 billion short tons of coal left in the United States. Coal is found in fifty-three of fifty-five counties in the state of West Virginia, and it leads the country in coal production. It does have a negative effect on the environment, it is a major source of air pollution, but overall coal is important to the country. As an energy source we depend on, without the mining of coal the country would have an energy problem. We use coal for heat, transportation, and electricity.

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520 Words | 3 Pages

Also the use of coal emits large amount of greenhouse gases and smog that reduces the quality of air and violates the Clean Air

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Mining coal can have many bad effects on both humans and the environment. Examples of this include waste products, acid rain, contaminated water, poisonous emissions, high levels of carbon dioxide and increased risks of lung cancer

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566 Words | 3 Pages

The problem that coal solved is generating electricity for us! If I’m not wrong you are all probably using coal to generate your house right now. But why do people use coal? Firstly it is very cheap and the energy source is very reliable!

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