By the mid-1900s, coal became the leading source for electricity generation in the U.S. For more than 50 years, roughly half of the homes in the country used coal for power.
From the beginning, though, critics have complained about the negative characteristics of coal... Put simply, coal is dirty.
When coal is burned, it releases sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. This leads to the phenomenon known as “acid rain”... which can destroy plants and animals, as well as cause corrosion of steel structures like bridges and buildings. Small particles of fly ash and dust are also released from coal-burning power plants, which can lead to allergic reactions and breathing problems for nearby residents. Worst of all, coal-powered facilities send so-called “greenhouse gases” into the atmosphere. Hundreds – sometimes thousands – of miners died on the job every year throughout the beginning of the 20th century. It’s safer today, but still roughly 80 U.S. coal miners have died in accidents since 2012. Because of its debilitating impact on the environment and workers, the coal industry has come... Under Attack From the Government Over the past eight years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Interior implemented $312 billion in regulatory costs against the industry. That’s nearly $40 billion per year. And then, in one of his final acts as president, Obama rolled out the “Stream Protection Rule” to further crack down on coal mining. Had it not been revoked, the regulation would have cost the coal industry more than $80 million per year, according to estimates. And coal mining is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Former President Barack Obama took aim at the coal sector.
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