The Importance of the Coal Mining Industry in West Virginia

West Virginia without coal mining would become a very depressed state with little economic output in other business sectors. Coal mining has been a backbone of provided jobs for generations of families that make their home within the West Virginia coal fields. However, more and more people and groups are protesting the overall coal industry because of pollution and the destruction to the lands that provide the breathtaking views all around West Virginia.

Coal companies for years have taken advantage of the coal seams throughout West Virginia by establishing mines and taking the resource to be exported not only in the United States, but throughout the world. However, many families of coal miner occupations have lived an above average life because most coal miners make a decent wage even if they work longer shifts than normal 9-5 business professionals. Sure, we all would like coal mining processes to be clean and not destroy the lands for future generations. However, most modern coal mining technologies have helped clean up the pollutions from burning coal and providing electricity for millions and millions of people.


One part of coal mining that really needs to improve is mountaintop removal because the blasting of the mountains does destroy the land. It's hard to imagine what the mountains will look like 20-30 years from now. Heck, it will be hard to see what the future of coal mining will be as well during this period of time. If the EPA does anything to coal mining they should require coal companies that conduct mountaintop removal to do less damage to the earth and to quit covering streams and streams of water.


Coal miners are hard working people that risk their lives every day to mine the coal that is used throughout the world. Can coal mining methods be improved? Sure, but this is a long process as more and more technology evolves in the extraction of the coal. Also, the people that protest coal mining operations couldn't survive because without coal there would be no electricity. Currently, coal mining is what it is and a necessity that is required to provide cheap electricity throughout the world. Until some company produces another viable form of clean electricity then we will keep digging the black gold and providing for thousands of families that depend on the coal mining jobs.


Without the coal mining industry West Virginia would just be an all-tourism state with a lot less population. The saying coal is "king" is very true to West Virginians that make a living mining the coal. As all the big wig bureaucrats keep restricting the livelihood of coal miners not only in West Virginia, but around the United States, I hope they have an alternative to provide decent jobs as miners lose their jobs and have nothing else to rely on for providing for their families.


Source:

www.westvirginiacoalmining.com