A study in the latest issue of Public Health Reports finds that costs associated with coal mining far exceed its economic benefits. The peer-reviewed publication is an official journal within the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to authors Michael Hendryx and Melissa Ahern, coal mining contributes over $8 billion per year to the communities in question. This number is dwarfed, however, by a conservative estimate of its relative costs. Mining demands over $50 billion of its surrounding area annually. That means the Appalachian counties with high concentrations of coal mining lose about $42 billion each year.

The significant gap between cost and benefit results from a computation of value of statistical life (VSL). VSL places a monetary value on human life and death prevention. In this case, the high cost to VSL in coal regions of Appalachia results from a greater number of excess annual deaths. In other words, social and health costs associated with coal mining combine to far outweigh any financial advantage it provides.

Even after controlling for variables such as smoking rates, doctor availability, poverty, race, and education, the study found independent correlation between mining counties and higher mortality rates. Despite a decline in mortality overall, Appalachian counties with mining-dependent economies consistently displayed higher mortality rates in comparison to both other parts of the region and counties in other areas of the United States.

In the Appalachian region, mountain top removal (MTR) mining has become the most common process for coal extraction. MTR is a particular type of surface mining in which explosives blast away pieces of mountain to expose coal seams. Excess rubble, or “overburden” is deposited nearby, and the exposed coal is then removed and transported to a preparation plant. After coal arrives at the plant, it undergoes a “washing” to remove certain minerals or impurities such as dirt and sulfur.

While the West Virginia University study substantiates the possible economic drawbacks of coal mining, a correlation between mining and health deterioration has been well documented. According to previous research conducted by Hendryx, coal-mining areas display elevated rates of lung cancer as well as heart, respiratory, and kidney disease.

These illnesses are not restricted to the coal workers, either. “Those who are falling ill and dying young are not just the coal miners,” said Hendryx. “Everyone who lives near the mines or processing plants or transportation centers is affected by chronic socioeconomic weakness that takes a toll in longevity and health.”

As Hendryx and Ahern point out, correlation does not automatically indicate causation—but the link is strong enough to merit further study “It cannot be stated with certainty that coal mining causes these problems,” the study concluded. “However…such a causal link seems likely…it seems prudent to examine how more diverse employment opportunities for the region could be developed.”

In the continuing debate over coal and other fossil fuels, environmental initiatives such as “clean coal” usually focus on the consumption of resources. By documenting the hazards of mining, however, this study may succeed in redirecting dialogue toward initial extraction of the materials. According to the report, “other economic policies could be developed if reliance on [coal] was not in the best interest of the local population." At an annual adjusted cost of over $40 billion, a continued reliance on coal seems to be anything but in the best interest of residents in Appalachia.

Also Interesting:

[+] Clean Coal Wars

[+] The first clean coal plant?

[+] The $1 billion clean coal 'non-earmark' earmark