Comments on: Peak coal comes to Appalachia http://polizeros.com/2007/11/01/peak-coal-comes-to-appalachia/ Musings on politics: anti-war, global warming, peak oil and otherwise Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:14:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: DJ http://polizeros.com/2007/11/01/peak-coal-comes-to-appalachia/#comment-144760 DJ Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:09:23 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2007/11/01/peak-coal-comes-to-appalachia/#comment-144760 Coal is an interesting story. The <a href="http://www.nma.org/pdf/c_production_state_rank.pdf" rel="nofollow">state with the largest production</a> isn't in Appalachia-- it's Wyoming, which (in 2005) produced 1/3 of all U.S. coal, more than WV & KY combined. Twenty-five U.S. states produce coal, including Utah (ranked 13, producing 2% of the nation's total). Acccording to Wiki, most U.S. coal (including that from Appalachia) is bituminous. In Utah, coal lands were sold by the U.S. Congress in 1860, primarily to the railroads who were permitted large holdings, which later sold to multi-national energy companies. Thus, little of Utah's coal industry is controlled from within the state. Ironically, the same policies remain in place for energy production. Recently, an oil well appeared on our horizon-- out here in the middle of nowhere. Apparently some company got BLM to grant oil exploration rights on nearby public land-- no local permits required. If oil is discovered, the local communities (including ours) will no doubt lose their say in the direction of their development. But short-sighted federal policies have made oil a matter of national security, so who cares what the locals want? Coal is an interesting story. The state with the largest production isn’t in Appalachia– it’s Wyoming, which (in 2005) produced 1/3 of all U.S. coal, more than WV & KY combined. Twenty-five U.S. states produce coal, including Utah (ranked 13, producing 2% of the nation’s total). Acccording to Wiki, most U.S. coal (including that from Appalachia) is bituminous.

In Utah, coal lands were sold by the U.S. Congress in 1860, primarily to the railroads who were permitted large holdings, which later sold to multi-national energy companies. Thus, little of Utah’s coal industry is controlled from within the state.

Ironically, the same policies remain in place for energy production. Recently, an oil well appeared on our horizon– out here in the middle of nowhere. Apparently some company got BLM to grant oil exploration rights on nearby public land– no local permits required.

If oil is discovered, the local communities (including ours) will no doubt lose their say in the direction of their development. But short-sighted federal policies have made oil a matter of national security, so who cares what the locals want?

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