Electricity
Average electricity costs in Kentucky were 5.43 cents/kilowatt-hour in 2006, the
4th lowest in the United States.
Production
Kentucky produced 125.9 million tons of coal in 2006, compared
to the record production of 179.4 million tons set in 1990.
Kentucky has been one of the top three coal producers in the United
States for the last 50 years.
Employment
The Kentucky coal industry paid $1.035 billion in direct wages
in 2006, directly employing 17,669 persons and indirectly providing 3
additional jobs for every miner employed. The average weekly wage
for coal miners in Kentucky was $1,126 during 2006.
Economy
The Kentucky coal industry brought $3.5 billion into
Kentucky from out-of-state during Fiscal Year 2005-06 through coal
sales to customers in 30 other states and 4 foreign countries.
Kentucky coal companies paid $221.42 million in coal
severance taxes in Fiscal Year 2005-06.
Coal Markets
Electric power plants, located in 30 states, accounted for almost
89.3% of the Kentucky coal sold
during 2006.
Approximately 79.5% of the coal produced in Kentucky
is sold out-of-state each year.
There are 22 major coal-burning electric
generating plants in Kentucky, and almost all
(92.2%) of Kentucky's
electricity is generated from coal.
Environment
All surface-mined land today is reclaimed equal to or better
than it was prior to mining. Kentucky mining companies have received
25
reclamation awards in 1986 thru 2005 for outstanding achievement in
surface mining.
Coal mining creates valuable lands such as
wildlife habitats, gently rolling mountaintops, wetlands, and industrial
sites where only steep, unproductive hillsides had once existed.
Kentucky operators have paid over $978.48 million
into the Federal Abandoned Mine Land Fund since 1978 to reclaim
abandoned coal mines. Nationwide, operators have paid over $7.94
billion into this fund. However, $1.96 billion remains
unallocated for AML reclamation.
Coal Resources
Kentucky has two distinct coal fields, one in Western Kentucky
and one in Eastern Kentucky. Kentucky's 87.1 billion tons of coal
resources remaining represent 83% of the original resource.
Teacher Resources
Coal education resources materials are now available to teachers
and students on the Internet at the web site
www.coaleducation.org.
Additionally, a coal education multimedia library kit with interactive
learning tools is now available in every public elementary, middle
school, and county library in Kentucky.
April 2008. This site is for
informational use only. It includes some extrapolative second
and third party data as well as some broad estimates, and should not
necessarily be construed as official source data or be construed as
advocating or reflecting any policy position of the Kentucky Division
of Fossil Fuels & Utility Services or the Kentucky Coal Association.
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