Hansen's work on coal's inevitable decline
Two West Virginia politicians -- Sen. Jay Rockefeller and the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd -- bluntly warned that Appalachia's coal industry is heading for decline. They urged intelligent long-range planning to cope with what seems to be an inevitable economic transition.
"Face reality," Rockefeller declared in a West Virginia Day speech. Three years earlier, the aging Byrd said it's time to "speak the truth" and "have an open and honest dialogue about coal's future in West Virginia.
However, other state leaders are like ostriches with heads in the sand, refusing to see changes that are eroding King Coal. They loudly blame federal pollution controls for the industry's problems. But pollution plays only a minor part.
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A couple of years ago, a landmark report by Downstream Strategies of Morgantown warned that Central Appalachian coal "production is projected to decline significantly in the coming decade." Analyst Evan Hansen told Ward that most West Virginia leaders are shutting their eyes to the ominous change.
This topic is profoundly important to West Virginia. Hardship already is striking some coal communities. The governor and Legislature should quit ignoring the economic shift and begin major planning for what lies ahead.
