Colorado loses top 10 ranking for coal production
The news comes after a nearly 20 percent drop in production in 2015.
DENVER (AP) — A new federal report shows Colorado is no longer ranked among the top 10 states for coal production after seeing a more than 20 percent drop in production in 2015.
The Denver Post reports that figures released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Friday show Colorado’s mines produced nearly 19 million short tons of coal in 2015. That put it 11th on the list of states.
Colorado ranked 10th among states the previous year after producing 24 million short tons of coal in 2014.
State figures show Colorado had an even bigger drop in coal production last year, producing less than 13 million short tons.
Decreased demand for coal has been brought on by shrinking exports, mine closures and bankruptcies and stricter environmental regulations.
Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
