National Mining Association

For Additional Information:
(202) 463-2610
Carol Raulston

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2002

SIGNIFICANT APPALACHIAN COAL RESERVES REMAIN TO MEET NATION'S ELECTRICITY NEEDS

Washington, DC - Of the 93 billion short tons of original coal reserves in the Appalachian Basin Coal Region, about 66 billion short tons remain according to a new digitized mapping assessment compiled by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and released today. The coal mined in the region is used primarily for electric power generation within the Eastern United States, although some is suitable for metallurgical uses.
"The USGS analysis shows us the reserve base in the Appalachian region is sufficient to meet current and growing demands far into the future," National Mining Association President Jack Gerard said upon release of the study.

One of the most important coal-producing regions in the world, the Appalachian Basin extends through Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia and is one of five U.S. coal-producing regions USGS is studying as part of the National Coal Resource Assessment.

In cooperation with state geological surveys, USGS focused on the Pittsburgh, Upper Freeport, Lower Kittanning and the Pocahontas No. 3 coal beds and the Fire Clay and Pond Creek coal zones-all located in the northern and central Appalachian Basin. More than 1,000 previously published and unpublished maps were digitized and combined in a geographic information system (GIS) "to create databases that describe the areal extent and mined areas" of the assessed coal beds and coal zones, according to the USGS study.

The USGS analysis is limited to the current decade and concludes that even with no changes in current technology and/or economic conditions, this region "is expected to continue as a major producer" of coal over that timeframe.

Gerard added that, "As the economics of mining move forward and technology continues to make dramatic advances-on both the production and combustion sides-an even greater amount of the reserve becomes available. That's certainly been the industry's experience, and it's good news for consumers that depend on an affordable and reliable source of increasingly clean electricity from coal."