Beginning
in the mid-1700's, coal mining in Pennsylvania fueled the Industrial
Revolution in the United States, beginng with to the Colonial iron industry,
followed by Andrew Carnegie's steel mills in the 1800's, and the electric
power plants of more modern times.
Pennsylvania is now the fourth largest coal producer in the United
States, following Wyoming, West Virginia and Kentucky. Over 69.5 million
tons of coal were mined in the state in 1995 (about 6.7 percent of U.S.
production) in 878 mining operations employing 10,165 people.
Two kinds of coal are mined in Pennsylvania- anthracite (hard coal)
and bituminous (softer coal). Over 60.8 million tons of bituminous coal
were mined in 1995 and 8.7 million tons of anthracite.
Since 1870, Pennsylvania's Annual Report on Mining Activities has recorded
51,483 deaths from mining accidents-- 31,113 deaths in anthracite mines
and 20,370 deaths in bituminous mines. Modern mining methods, safety
training and inspections have dramatically improved the industry's safety
record.
The environmental legacy of hundreds of years of coal mining in Pennsylvania
includes over 2,400 miles of Pennsylvania's 54,000 miles of streams
polluted by acid mine drainage from old mining operations. Acid mine
drainage is the single largest source of water pollution in the state.
Modern laws and regulations require that present day mining cannot begin
if it might harm the environment.
Since 1967, Pennsylvania and the federal government have invested close
to $500 million to correct problems from abandoned surface and deep
mines. These reclamation efforts are funded by a 35 cent per ton federal
fee on coal being mined today and also from state reclamation funds
from fees and reclamation bonds that have been forfeited. Over $15 billion
worth of reclamation remains yet to be done. In addition, Pennsylvania
must deal with related problems such as the mine fire that is burning
under the town of Centralia, Columbia County.
Pennsylvania has invested $20.7 million to construct 13 acid mine drainage
treatment plants around the state to treat acid mine drainage discharges.
This legacy has resulted in a series of environmental laws to regulate
coal mining operations that began in 1913. Economically, mining contributes
over 2 million dollars (about 1 percent) of Pennsylvania's gross state
economic product.
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