Energy & Science
America’s Coal Country Isn’t Dead — It’s Preparing for a Comeback
The nation’s largest coal producers are now hoarding cash to weather what they see as an impermanent storm.
Deckhands aboard the Consol Energy Champion Coal tow boat walk along the center of the barges on the Monongahela River, during transport outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Photographer: Ty Wright/Bloomberg
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At least five of America’s coal producers went bankrupt in 2019. Prices for the fossil fuel have plunged 40% since a 2018 peak. And some of the nation’s largest miners are retrenching and slashing their dividends.
But don’t be mistaken: The fight against climate change hasn’t killed off Coal Country yet.