News

Actions

Report: Coal production employment in US cut nearly in half since 2011

Posted at 8:52 AM, Dec 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-12 08:52:17-05

(LEX 18) — Appalachia, which includes part of Kentucky, has suffered the most with the loss of coal jobs, according to a new report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The Annual Coal Report showed that coal production employment in the U.S. has been cut nearly in half since 2011.

Coal production employment numbers are down from 92,000 employees in that year to 54,000 in 2018.

The report also showed that more than half of Appalachia's coal mines have closed since 2008.

It cited increased competition from natural gas and renewable technologies for the decreases in coal production.