Tell Gov. Quinn: Record High Coal Exports at Huge Costs

By Heartland Coalfield Alliance

Illinois’ abundant high-sulphur coal saw record demand oversees last year, according to according to a new report commissioned by the Illinois Office of Coal Development that was released Wednesday, May 2, 2013.

Click to read report

The study, prepared by Energy Ventures Analysis Inc., found that 13 million tons of Illinois coal was exported in 2012.  That’s a fivefold increase from the 2.5 million tons shipped out of the U.S. in 2010.

Please take a moment to remind Governor Quinn this increase in coal exports comes at a huge expense to Illinois communities:

• New surface and underground mines threaten the state’s agricultural communities by destroying and subsiding prime farmland.

• Coal mines pollute our rivers and streams with impunity, racking up hundreds of pollution violations while our state agencies rubber stamp new permits.

• “Jobless” coal boom – Illinois exported 5 times as much coal in 2012 as in 2010, but mining jobs only increased by 14% (~3,500 to 4,000 miners) – the fact remains, coal mining is an insignificant part of the state’s economy, so why is DCEO bending over backwards to please the industry?

• Digging coal is digging Illinois even deeper into debt as the coal industry raids our mineral wealth without sending so much as a cent back to the state in severance or sales taxes, which all neighboring coal producing states collect.

Click for more and contact information for Governor Quinn.

Protect Illinois communities: Take action now!

PCG is a member of the Heartland Coalfield Alliance, which works to reduce impacts from dirty coal mining, coal burning and coal waste disposal while promoting cleaner, more sustainable and affordable energy solutions for the Illinois Coal Basin.