Debate Statement: Pro-Coal, Social Justice

Liv Thompson & Sevi Horton

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 51 thousand people employed in
the US by the coal industry today. These are thousands of people that are brave enough to do the
dirty work- literally- in the mines in order for us to be able to use coal as our most prominent
source of energy. There is no question that coal mining is a job that cannot 100% ensure the
safety of its employees- but for what purpose?

Already available to the coal industry are several technologically advanced systems that,
if implemented more commonly, could help to make coal mining no riskier than driving to the
office every day. These expensive, yet innovative technologies include methane-monitoring
systems, falling-rock prevention machines, machinery collision monitors, and more that are
designed to target the largest safety risks in the coal mine and prevent them. So- what’s the
issue?

As I said before, these machines aren’t cheap. They’re on the market, but many industries
still aren’t given the resources or attention to put them to use. We should consider the possibility
that this is because of one issue: the United States is too divided on the opinion of what’s best for
the future of our energy consumption. The harmful environmental effects of coal that are
commonly brought to light during energy debates are restricting the ability for people to see that
if the coal industry was given more attention and resources from the government to improve
worker safety, the industry would improve, further emphasizing the United States as a thriving
and modernized energy independent nation. This would, in turn, allow the US more leverage to
implement new, cleaner, and sustainable sources of energy in the future. In the meantime, a plan
that would require coal mines to utilize this new safety technology would both help the miners
and allow for a larger amount of coal to be mined in a shorter amount of time, creating a more
abundant coal supply, which would drive the price of coal down even further. This lower price
would ensure that all American have an accessible, inexpensive source of energy.

Coal is the answer for a transitional energy source. But before we reach the time where
we, as a nation, are able to transfer from coal to more renewable sources, we must accept the fact
that MORE resources towards coal now will ensure LESS coal in the future.
Sources:

https://www.mining-technology.com/features/featuremining-safely-innovative-technologies-to-
prevent-mining-accidents-4207131/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CES1021210001 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external

site.