FACTS ABOUT COAL
Coal was first discovered in what is now West Virginia in 1742 by John Peter Salley in what is now Boone County.
Coal occurs in 53 of West Virginia's 55 Counties only Jefferson and Hardy in the eastern panhandle have no coal.
Forty-three counties have reserves of minable (economic) coal. WV Coal Reserve Table
There are 117 named coal seams in West Virginia.
Sixty-five seams are considered minable.
In 2005 coal was produced from 54 different coal seams in West Virginia.
The Pittsburgh coal seam accounted for nearly 37 million tons of production in 2005.
West Virginia has 4% of all coal reserves.
Production & Employment
Annually, 27 West Virginia counties produce coal.
McDowell County has produced more coal than any other county in West Virginia.
The West Virginia coal industry provides about 50,000 direct jobs in WV, including miners, mine contractors, coal preparation plant employees and mine supply companies.
Underground mines in 2005 produced 98 million tons with 43 million tons from longwall mining.
Surface mines account for over 55 million tons of production each year.
In 2005 surface mines produced 60 million tons with over 42 million from Mountain Top mining.
In 2005 West Virginia mines produced over 159 million tons.
West Virginia produces about 15 % of total coal production in the U.S.
West Virginia leads the nation in underground coal production.
West Virginia leads the nation in coal exports with over 50 million tons shipped to 23 countries.
West Virginia Coal accounts for about 50% of US coal exports.
West Virginia Coal & Economy
Taxes paid by the coal industry and by utility companies that make electricity using West Virginia coal account for two-thirds, or over 60% of business taxes paid in our state.
The coal industry pays approximately $70 million in property taxes annually.
The Coal Severance Tax adds approximately $214 million into West Virginia's economy.
Twenty-four million dollars of coal severance taxes collected each year goes directly into the Infrastructure Bond Fund.
All 55 counties, even the non-coal producing counties receive Coal Severance Tax funds.
The coal industry payroll is nearly $2 billion per year.
Coal is responsible for more than $3.5 billion annually in the gross state product.
Electricity & Coal
More than half of the nation's electricity is generated from coal.
In West Virginia 99% of the generated electricity comes from coal.
There are currently 14 coal fired electric generating facilities located in West Virginia.
Coal provides the majority of electric power in 32 states.
In the United States, the demand for electricity has increased 136% since 1970.
National demand for electricity is expected to increase by another 24 percent by 2020.
Emissions from power plants have been reduced by 1/3 over the past 30 years.
It has been estimated that 13 percent of the national power requirement is taken up by activities associated with computers and information technology.