Peak Coal Passed in 2008 as Costs of Mining Rise, Group Says

Coal reserves in the U.S. are lower than government and industry estimates because the shallow deposits that are cheaper to access have been largely mined out, according to a study by a group urging the country to pursue renewable energy.

Clean Energy Action in Boulder, Colorado, said in a report today that the U.S. passed its peak coal production in 2008, and that production will become increasingly difficult and expensive across the country. Only one of the top 16 coal-producing states, Indiana, is likely to see record production in the future. Traditional producers such as Pennsylvania and West Virginia hit their peak decades ago, it said.