Red States Bear Heaviest Burden in Climate Change Bills

[Carole]

Red States Bear Heaviest Burden in Climate Change Bills

See chart here:

http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/30/co2s-political-fingerprint/

Look at relatively poor state of West Virginia where I live. We are forty-nine of fifty states in income. Unbelievable!!!:mad:

States of the United States of America by income

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_of_the_United_States_by_income

This madman and his administration are trying to destroy our country for sure. :)

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Red States Bear Heaviest Burden in Climate Change Bills

See chart here:

http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/30/co2s-political-fingerprint/

Look at relatively poor state of West Virginia where I live. We are forty-nine of fifty states in income. Unbelievable!!!:mad:

States of the United States of America by income

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_of_the_United_States_by_income

This madman and his administration are trying to destroy our country for sure. :)

That income chart means nothing without knowing the COL (Cost of Living) in each State. For example, just because the median income in say NY is around 70,000$ doesn't mean that people who live in NY are economically better off. In fact, they are worst off because of the tax burdens, regulations, and the increased prices on necessary essential goods and services (Shelter, Food, Water, etc.).

Secondly, if the people of those States, especially OK, GA, and TX, do what is right and elect McBerry, Medina, and Brogdon they won't have to endure the bill. I have confidence they would nullify that legislation along with the taxation. However, if they don't win, it's going to be ugly, very ugly.

[1836er]

I can say without a doubt that Texas is not the 27th "worst off" state... (as I look around at my house that would cost 3 times as much to buy in most parts of California or the suburban Northeast).

[Carole]

Yes Austrian, you are correct.

However it does happen that West Virginia is a poor state and has been for decades and decades-all my life really.

Still there is a great need for our coal:

Know Your Energy: The 5 States That Supply 73% of US Coal

HTTP://WWW.TREEHUGGER.COM/FILES/2009/10/5-STATES-SUPPLY-73-PERCENT-UNITED-STATES-COAL.PHP

Excerpts:

By now you undoubtedly have had it drilled into your head that the US gets about 50% of its electrical power from coal. Though the exact percentage does vary quite a bit by region, the fact remains that it's a heck of a lot of coal. But do you know where that coal actually comes from? Appalachia surely has a coal reputation, but what about in more specific detail? Well, here you go --The 5 states that supply three-quarters of the US' coal:

US Total Production 2003-2008 -- According to the latest EIA data, for the past five years on average US coal production has been about 1.4 billion tons per year, with 1.17 billion tons produced in 2008.

#1: Wyoming = 467.6 Million Tons
Wyoming may not spring to mind immediately as a big coal region unless you've got a penchant for delving into these sort of things, but the sparsely populated Rocky Mountain state is the US' largest coal production by a wide margin. In fact it produces nearly three times as much as its closest rival, and about 40% of the US total supply.
To give you a sense of the scale of coal mining in operations in Wyoming, consider that all that coal is taken from just 20 mines, all but one of which are huge surface mining operations.

#2: West Virginia = 157.8 Million Tons
Now, West Virginia, here's where the image of coal mining (for better and worse) most people was made... and is colored strongly today by the battle to shut down mountaintop removal coal mines.
The difference in scale of the individual operations between West Virginia and Wyoming couldn't be more different. In 2008, 301 mines were in operation -- 186 of those were underground and 115 surface mines. Those mines produce 14% of the US' coal.

#3: Kentucky = 120.3 Million Tons
Kentucky is interesting in that though it holds down the third place position in total production, it actually has the largest number of mining operations in 2008. A total of 468 mines (253 surface mines and 216 underground) are responsible for 10% of US production.

photo: The Sierra Club via flickr.
#4: Pennsylvania = 65.4 Million Tons
Though it occupies the fourth place spot, Pennsylvania produces seven times less coal than does Wyoming and does so out of 266 mines -- 80% of which these days are surface mines -- which contribute 6% to US total production.

#5: Montana = 44.8 Million Tons
If you're getting the impression that pretty much everywhere trails far far behind Wyoming, you're right. Immediately to the north, Montana is no exception. Responsible for 4% of US coal production, the Big Sky State operates just six coal mines, five of which are surface mining operations.

But Where Does That Coal Go?
In 2008, 93% of US coal demand came from electrical production, which consumed 1.04 billion tons.


Obama and Biden keeping their promise to destroy coal.

Just for fun, maybe we should see what happens if coal is shut down immediately. :)

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Yes Austrian, you are correct.

However it does happen that West Virginia is a poor state and has been for decades and decades-all my life really.

Still there is a great need for our coal:

Know Your Energy: The 5 States That Supply 73% of US Coal

HTTP://WWW.TREEHUGGER.COM/FILES/2009/10/5-STATES-SUPPLY-73-PERCENT-UNITED-STATES-COAL.PHP

Excerpts:

By now you undoubtedly have had it drilled into your head that the US gets about 50% of its electrical power from coal. Though the exact percentage does vary quite a bit by region, the fact remains that it's a heck of a lot of coal. But do you know where that coal actually comes from? Appalachia surely has a coal reputation, but what about in more specific detail? Well, here you go --The 5 states that supply three-quarters of the US' coal:

US Total Production 2003-2008 -- According to the latest EIA data, for the past five years on average US coal production has been about 1.4 billion tons per year, with 1.17 billion tons produced in 2008.

#1: Wyoming = 467.6 Million Tons
Wyoming may not spring to mind immediately as a big coal region unless you've got a penchant for delving into these sort of things, but the sparsely populated Rocky Mountain state is the US' largest coal production by a wide margin. In fact it produces nearly three times as much as its closest rival, and about 40% of the US total supply.
To give you a sense of the scale of coal mining in operations in Wyoming, consider that all that coal is taken from just 20 mines, all but one of which are huge surface mining operations.

#2: West Virginia = 157.8 Million Tons
Now, West Virginia, here's where the image of coal mining (for better and worse) most people was made... and is colored strongly today by the battle to shut down mountaintop removal coal mines.
The difference in scale of the individual operations between West Virginia and Wyoming couldn't be more different. In 2008, 301 mines were in operation -- 186 of those were underground and 115 surface mines. Those mines produce 14% of the US' coal.

#3: Kentucky = 120.3 Million Tons
Kentucky is interesting in that though it holds down the third place position in total production, it actually has the largest number of mining operations in 2008. A total of 468 mines (253 surface mines and 216 underground) are responsible for 10% of US production.

photo: The Sierra Club via flickr.
#4: Pennsylvania = 65.4 Million Tons
Though it occupies the fourth place spot, Pennsylvania produces seven times less coal than does Wyoming and does so out of 266 mines -- 80% of which these days are surface mines -- which contribute 6% to US total production.

#5: Montana = 44.8 Million Tons
If you're getting the impression that pretty much everywhere trails far far behind Wyoming, you're right. Immediately to the north, Montana is no exception. Responsible for 4% of US coal production, the Big Sky State operates just six coal mines, five of which are surface mining operations.

But Where Does That Coal Go?
In 2008, 93% of US coal demand came from electrical production, which consumed 1.04 billion tons.

Obama and Biden keeping their promise to destroy coal.

Just for fun, maybe we should see what happens if coal is shut down immediately. :)

Like I said, it's going to be very, very ugly. These baffoons have no clue what's in store for them. When people are in the economic shitter all bets are off.

[Carole]

I can say without a doubt that Texas is not the 27th "worst off" state... (as I look around at my house that would cost 3 times as much to buy in most parts of California or the suburban Northeast).

That is true here also in most areas of WVa; housing is much less. Still, food and energy are just as high and getting higher as when I lived in Northern Virginia.