West Virginia's coal powered the nation for years. Now, many look to a cleaner future.

[Jilly_in_VA]

Growing up in southern West Virginia, Jacob Hannah was always of two minds about coal.

His father and grandfather were coal miners. Coal meant a roof over their heads and a tie to bind the small community of Wilsondale that they called home. People there found purpose in coal, proud to know their work was helping power the nation.

But Hannah, 29, also saw neighbors who grappled with nasty illnesses: bronchitis, black lung and cancer. Worksite injuries were a constant. And he began to hear more news about climate change and the role that coal and other fossil fuels played.

“The coal economy is a sinking ship,” he said, “but it’s difficult for anyone who grew up in Appalachia not to feel a sense of defensiveness and protectiveness towards coal.”

Hannah is a conservation coordinator for Coalfield Development, a nonprofit group working to revitalize West Virginia, in part through clean energy. The organization recently put in place the state’s largest nonprofit solar installation. He’s proud of his family’s legacy but traveling around the state and taking stock of shuttered storefronts and scarred land have convinced him that the need for change is clear.

“We need an antidote,” he said. “We need medicine to strengthen our communities.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/west-virginia-coal-industry-grapples-impact-climate-crisis-rcna2397

[JohnSJ]

1. Yes. Coal has been used less and less for our energy needs. Currently it contributes about 19%

to our energy use, and it has been getting less and less as the years go by

[lame54]

2. Should have listened to Hillary...

Her cold hard truths about WV's future and what they need to do to transition

Instead they went with the guy who "tells it like it is" aka tell them what they want to hear
That he would bring back coal and return WV to it's glory days even though their demise is inevitable

[scarytomcat]

3. and at the time coal was fueling our great country West Virginia. had some of the

poorest sickest uneducatedest people in our country. While families like the Manchin's made out big time. Time to give back Joe.