What Is The Importance Of Coal In Kentucky

mportance of Coal Every day you flip on your light switch, turn on the stove, and watch television. The energy needed to perform these everyday tasks is often taken for granted. Without coal production in Kentucky, these luxuries will become a thing of the past. Coal mining has been important in Kentucky since it was first commercially produced in 1790. Coal mining is a reliable source of energy, great for our economy, and provides jobs. The production of coal is valuable to our economy and helps support our families. Kentucky’s economy is dependent on the money brought in by the coal industry. Coal brings in an estimated $528 million in state revenue. Without the coal industry there wouldn’t be enough enough money for our schools, restaurants,
It is the most reliable source of energy available. There is estimated to be around 26 billion tons of coal still remaining in Kentucky. That’s a lot of coal, but it doesn’t seem that it’s going to be mined anytime in the near future. Due to all of the regulations on the coal industry and the closing of mines all across the state it’s becoming harder and harder to extract this coal. These regulations hit Kentucky’s coal industry hard. They are no longer able to produce coal on the level that they used to. Coal production has dropped dramatically in the last ten years. In 2015 Kentucky produced 61.4 million tons of coal, a decrease of 20.7% from 2014. The energy that coal produces can be used in many different ways. The most significant use of coal is in electricity generation. Coal provides 87% of Kentucky’s electricity as of 2015. The cost of electricity in Kentucky is also the fifth lowest in the country at an average of 8.03 cents per kilowatt-hour. Coal helps provide us with cheap and affordable electricity to help keep our lights
These jobs give many people in need of a job a chance to make a living. In 2016 the coal industry employed the second most miners in the United States at 8,700. In Hopkins County alone, there are 874 miners employed, which is second most in Kentucky. While there are all these job opportunities, Eastern Kentucky still has 20 of the 100 poorest counties in the United States. These counties live in extreme poverty. Without the coal industry in these counties they would have no way of providing for themselves. Not only does coal provide jobs, it creates high paying jobs. The average wage of a coal miner is $87,816 a year. This salary is sufficient enough to help support Kentucky citizens and families. The wages of these miners helps the poor Eastern Kentucky counties to get out of their economic depression and get back on their feet. This money also helps boost Kentucky’s economy because when people have more money they tend to spend more money. Without these job opportunities many people will not be able to support themselves or their families . This will have a negative impact on Kentucky's