In Appalachia, mining companies literally blow the tops off mountains to reach thin seams of coal. They then dump millions of tons of rubble and toxic waste into the streams and valleys below the mining sites.
Burning: Carbon Pollution and Climate Disruption
Burning: Carbon Pollution and Climate Disruption
Coal burning is responsible for nearly one third of US carbon emissions—the air pollution that is the main contributor to climate disruption.
Burning: Smog, Soot, and Asthma
Burning: Smog, Soot, and Asthma
In the United States, more than 40% of people live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Pollution from coal-fired power plants leads to smog (or ozone), a toxic compound and a dangerous irritant.
Burning: Toxic Mercury
Burning: Toxic Mercury
Burning coal releases toxic mercury that rains down into rivers and streams. This poison then accumulates in the food chain, eventually making its way into our bodies when we eat contaminated fish.
Disposal: Coal Ash Waste
Disposal: Coal Ash Waste
Every year, the nation’s coal plants produce 140 million tons of coal ash pollution, the toxic by-product that is left over after the coal is burned. All that ash has to go somewhere.
Exports: A Bad Investment
Exports: A Bad Investment
Across the country, Americans are turning to cleaner energy and phasing out coal power. Because of that, the coal industry has come up with a new plan: strip-mine coal in places like Montana, Wyoming, and Appalachia.