The Environmental Price Tag on a Ton of Mountaintop Removal Coal

Brian D Lutz,William H Schlesinger,Emily S Bernhardt,Matteo Convertino

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073203

Brian D Lutz, William H Schlesinger + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0073203

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Abstract

While several thousand square kilometers of land area have been subject to surface mining in the Central Appalachians, no reliable estimate exists for how much coal is produced per unit landscape disturbance. We provide this estimate using regional satellite-derived mine delineations and historical county-level coal production data for the period 1985–2005, and further relate the aerial extent of mining disturbance to stream impairment and loss of ecosystem carbon sequestration potential. To meet current US coal demands, an area the size of Washington DC would need to be mined every 81 days. A one-year supply of coal would result in ∼2,300 km of stream impairment and a loss of ecosystem carbon sequestration capacity comparable to the global warming potential of >33,000 US homes. For the first time, the environmental impacts of surface coal mining can be directly scaled with coal production rates.

Highlights

Mountaintop removal coal mining (MTR) is a invasive mining practice developed in the United States (US) capable of producing low-cost coal
For 47 counties in southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky – a study area occupying,82% of the Central Appalachian coal region (59,569 km2) [11] – we use estimates of surface mining disturbances derived from historical satellite imagery for the period 1985–2005 [10], and regress the aerial extent of mining disturbances against cumulative county coal production over this period
Bituminous coal from the Central Appalachians has an average density of 1.32 g cm23 [22]

Summary

Introduction

Mountaintop removal coal mining (MTR) is a invasive mining practice developed in the United States (US) capable of producing low-cost coal. Recent studies have demonstrated that all of these environmental impacts – habitat loss, reduced ecosystem C sequestration, and stream water quality impairment – are directly related to the amount of land area disturbed by mining activities [8,9,10].

Results

Conclusion