[Coach_Owens87]

[quote=Coach_Owens87][quote=Armchair QB]:Clap: :thumpsup:[/QUOT

I'm just informed, not blinded to the truth like you.You accuse me of giving biased info from environmental groups but yet all you give is crap fed to you by the coal industry.

by the latest evidence nearly 80% of all mine sites do not meet federal requirements for reclamation under the SMCRA.

Surface mining (which includes MTR mining), accounts for only 1.2% of jobs in WV and brings in just 2.6% of the state’s total revenues. The counties where surface mining predominates are some of the still poorest counties in the country. The same is true for Ky. The poorest counties are those with high coal production. 1 percent of jobs, just how is 1% of out total jobs supposed to be such a huge economic impact?

CO87 you ask how 1% (I'm looking into that number) of our total jobs can have a big economic impact. The following information is provided by the Kentucky office of Energy
Kentucky employed 15,012 Miners and they earned over 759 Million dollars in wages in 2004.
In 2004 Coal companies paid over 183 Million in Severance Taxes.
Created econmic activity throughout Ky totaling 9 Billion dollars.
61,158 jobs were created throughout Ky to support the Coal industry.

In 2004 Underground mining produced 73.5 million tons of coal and Surface mining produced 45.5 Million tons of coal (OC87 your Mr. Reece stated in his report that 70% of the coal mined in Kentucky came form Surface mines including Mountain Top Removal and 30% from Underground Mining) according to my math Surface mines in Kentucky produced 38 % of the coal mined in Kentucky.

In 1984 there were 1,137 Surface Mines in the State of Kentucky, in 2004 there were 196 Surface mines operating in the State of Kentucky.

In 1984 there were 926 Underground Mines in the State of Kentucky, in 2004 there were 223 Underground Mines in the State of Kentucky.

Remember these numbers came from the State of Kentucky.

Here's some numbers provided from West Virginia Office of Miners Health Safety and Training (WVOMHST) www.wvminesafety.org
Taxes paid by the coal industry and by utility companies that make electricity using coal accounted for two-thirds of the business taxes paid in W. Va.

The coal industry pays approximately 70 million dollars in property taxes annually in W. Va..

Coal severance taxes add approximately 214 million dollars to W. Va. economy.

The coal industry payroll is nearly 2 Billion dollars annually in W. Va.

Coal is responsible for more than 3.5 Billion annually in the gross state product in W. Va.

The coal industry employed about 20,000 people that earned an average of $50,000 per year, an additional 80,000 jobs were created

In West Virginia underground mines produced 98 million tons (62%)in 2005, and surface mines produced 60 million tons (38%).

Now I'm not an accountant, but you have to admit those numbers would have to have a huge impact a state's economy.

OC87 Federal Requirements for Reclamation
I did find out some more info the reclamation process in W. Va. a coal company can distrub up to 50% of their permited acreage or 200 acres whichever is less. Reclamation has to be started when reaching either 50% or 200 acres.

If you can give me the total income for the state. Then those numbers may mean something. I want debate you on the fact that Coal Companies make a lot of money they do. But just where is that money going. It's not helping Appalachia.

That reclamation law mentioned nothing about the requirements, or standards for reclamation. No wonder coal companies do such horrible jobs. Well that and reclamation cost money, lots of it. Most companies don't want to pay it. Thats why they pay a bond before mining that is supposed to cover reclamation if the state must step in. A lot of bigger companies create subsidiaries that shut down after one mining job. This way they cant be punished for breaking the law. You cant punish someone or something that doesn't exist.