Coal's legacy in Appalachia: Lands, waters, and people

Abstract For more than a century, the coal-mining industry has been a major economic force and employer in the Appalachian region of eastern USA. As national and global energy economies experience rapid change, Appalachian mining is declining in a way that appears permanent. Coal mining, however, has left its mark on the region's lands, waters, and people. Most mined lands have soils, plant and wildlife communities that differ from those present in the region's existing native forests and are not used for economically valued purposes. Non-native plants are prominent on many former mine sites. Mined areas typically produce waters with elevated geologic-origin pollutants, major ions and trace elements, and support biotas differing from those present in waters flowing from the region's native forests. Human communities also reflect the region's mining history, as economic, education, and human-health indicators in intensive coal-mining areas lag those elsewhere in the region. These effects are evident as coal-mining declines to levels last seen in the late 19th century and with little prospect of recovery. As the people of the Appalachian coalfield look to the future, they do so while bearing that legacy. Here, we describe the condition of Appalachia's resources as they have been influenced by mining. We also look to the future by presenting opportunities for conversion of the region's extensive mined lands to beneficial uses and offering our perspective on prospects for Appalachia's coal-mined areas.