Should we expand coal in Virginia? These delegates think we should
Vivian Klosk
One of the most pressing climate issues we face as a nation and as a state is the management of resources in comparison to how the use of these resources affects different communities. Within Virginia, one of the unique challenges we face in maintaining that balance is within the coal industry.
Although the Virginia coal mining industry brings in almost 2% of the national total each year, it only generates about $22 million in revenue for the state, and employs less than 3000 people. In contrast to the approximately 45.9 million tons of coal mined in southern Virginia 30 years ago, production was down to a mere 12.4 million tons as of 2019. This is a result of the natural lack of coal deposits remaining in the state after decades of mining.
As the pandemic has continued, even more workers within the coal mining industry have found themselves out of work, resulting in the further decline of coal production in Virginia. And with mines closing all over the state, the risk of stream sedimentation and the degradation of the surrounding landscape increases. The US Environmental Protection Agency has singled out acid drainage from abandoned mines as the number one water quality problem in the Appalachia area, and this poses a very large issue to a multitude of communities that rely on those waterways. Additionally, acid drainage has an extremely negative effect on the aquatic ecosystems that are present within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and the potential eutrophication and species loss that could occur as a result of this acidification poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of fisherman and other groups in the bay. Why then, would the expansion of this industry be supported? Ask state politicians Todd Gilbert, Will Morefield, and Will Wampler.
Gilbert, a delegate of Virginia’s 15th district, serves over 130,000 constituents, and has proudly voted against clean energy bills within the state house multiple times. In fact, Gilbert has stated that he was extremely proud to vote against the Virginia Green New Deal, which would’ve introduced new forms of clean, safe, and environmentally friendly energy to the state. Gilbert’s defense for this decision was the idea that clean energy is more expensive and therefore harms more people than it hurts; however, the Virginia Green New Deal, which would incorporate climate-friendly transportation and sustainable land use plans, would benefit local economies far more than it would harm them. Todd Gilbert has repeatedly emphasized his plans to shut down the use of clean, renewable energy within Virginia and has encouraged the use of fossil fuels and coal, without any mention of creating a more sustainable or eco-friendly plan. How does this help the voters he is supposed to be representing?
Morefield, from Virginia’s 3rd district, is an avid supporter of the coal industry and the jobs it provides. However, the third district, which includes the counties of Bland, Buchanan, Russell, and Tazewell, includes a large portion of the James and Elizabeth rivers, which bring in lots of revenue from fishing and boating during the on season. With the use of coal mines nearby, the ecosystems present in these rivers are at risk, and as a result, so is the revenue stream from recreational activities near the water. Considering the fact that more people fish along the James River than work in the local coal mines, why is the environmental stability of the region being overlooked in favor of supplying even more coal to large corporations and other groups who endanger local ecosystems?
Wampler, a delegate from Virginia’s 4th district, is a strong supporter of the Virginia coal industry, and would like to see it expanded, along with the removal of opposing forms of clean energy such as solar and wind power. Although Wampler does support the repurposing and reuse of abandoned mines, this does not forgive his decision to place the job security of less than 3000 constituents over the health of the other 765,000 citizens he is responsible for representing. To the other constituents in the fourth district, I ask this question: are these the priorities you want to see in your representatives? Do you want the jobs of the few to be treated with more importance than the wellbeing of the many?
The Virginia Youth Climate Cooperative (VAYCC) does not support the continued growth of the coal industry within Virginia, and urges delegates Gilbert, Morefield, and Wampler to reevaluate their priorities and take the wellbeing and health of their constituents into consideration when voting on key climate bills. The VAYCC also encourages voters to take a closer look at the legislation their politicians are trying to reject, and to recognize the potential that legislation holds for their communities.
Delegates Todd Gilbert, Will Morefield, and Will Wampler have repeatedly informed the public of their intentions to revitalize and expand the coal industry in southwest Virginia, while refusing to acknowledge the environmental and social issues that the expansion would cause, especially in marginalized communities who are forced to shoulder the burden of these issues. So we ask, is the coal industry really a vital piece of Virginia’s economy and community? And are these delegates willing to take the steps necessary to encourage safe practices without causing unnecessary ecosystem disruption and destruction?
Vivian Klosk is a member of the VAYCC press team.
