We talk a lot here at RK about coal, and particularly about Dominion's proposed new coal-fired power plant in Wise County. This morning, the Richmond Times Dispatch helps put Virginia's coal industry in perspective with some statistics:
Virginia coal production is down about 10 percent this year through March 15.According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 5.4 million tons of coal were mined in Virginia, compared with 6 million tons during the same period last year.
[...]
For the 52-week period that ended March 15, Virginia coal production was down 16 percent. A total of 24.6 million tons were mined, compared with 29.4 million tons a year earlier.
For those 12 months, Virginia coal production was about half what it was during a similar period less than two decades ago.
That's right, Virginia's coal production is now half of what it was 20 years ago, and continuing to fall.
More coal stats: according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Virginia's coal production accounted for 2.2% of total U.S. coal output over the past 52 weeks. Virginia's production was 24,639 thousand short tons - mst, ranking 12th behind: 1) Wyoming (457,060 mst), 2) West Virginia (152,001 mst), 3) Kentucky (114,519 mst), 4) Pennsylvania (64,277 mst), 5) Montana (43,881 mst), 6) Texas (42,341 mst), 7) Colorado (37,223 mst), 8) Indiana (35,295 mst), 9) Illinois (31,645 mst), 10) North Dakota (29,279 mst), and 11) New Mexico (24,742 mst).
What is coal's importance to Virginia's economy? In 2006, Virginia's economic output was $369 billion, of which mining -- not just coal -- represented $1.8 billion (0.49%). For comparison purposes, Virginia's 2006 economic output from professional and technical services was $43.3 billion (11.7%); from finance and insurance was $22.8 billion (6.2%); from retail trade was $22.4 billion (6.1%); and from construction was $19.6 billion (5.3%).
The point of all this is simply to put Virginia's coal industry in perspective, and specifically to dispel the common misconception that "Virginia is a coal state." Actually, Virginia is the 12th largest coal producer in the United States, with output just 1/20th of Wyoming's and 1/6th of West Virginia's. And coal makes up a miniscule percentage of Virginia's economy, less than 0.49%. It seems to me that we should be making coal-related decisions, such as whether or not to build the proposed new Dominion coal-fired power plant, on the merits of the case and not by arguments about the importance of coal to Virginia's overall economy.*
*Note: It is important to take into account the impacts, both positive and negative, of any proposed coal/power development on the local economy and environment as well.
You are absolutely correct. Coal is not Virginia's economy. It is not Virginia's future. Virginia also maintained natural gas production in over 5,000 wells in 2006, although those wells are not nearly enough to provide for in-state consumption, including for Virginia's gas-fired power plants.
This is why Virginia needs to grow its clean energy economy.
Wind, solar, and biomass are critical elements of that, along with biofuels like Switchgrass. Virginia is importing more and more fossil fuel energy every year and spending perhaps billions in the process.
If Virginia commits to cleaner sources of energy, the net-benefits to the economy, public health, and environmental protection to aid tourism, could certainly outstrip coal (no pun intended).