My Eastern Kentuckian Dilemma

One of my relatives had a post on Facebook that created tons of inner turmoil for me. I have come to find out there is a groundswell of opposition in eastern Kentucky to the "Cap and Trade" bill. I am a liberal, progressive, communist, freedom hater, and Democrat. Just pick how you wish to describe me. I am also an eastern Kentuckian, that is very proud of my roots. My father was a coal miner and died of black lung. My brother is a disabled miner. I have been a supporter of the UMW, miner healthcare rights, tighter regulations to ensure a reduction in miner deaths, and advocated for a coal burning plant in Florida to the dismay of some of my friends.

However, I find myself struggling with a stance on this issue. I am not an environmental Democrat. My focus is on global terrorism, healthcare, and increasing community service. I come to this fight without a dog. The central reason why I struggle with this so much is eastern Kentucky has been trying for years to diversify its economy. Now it is getting a nudge in form of the "Cap and Trade" bill to do this very thing I have been hearing politicians in eastern Kentucky preach on for years. Why is this bad?

Eastern Kentucky has been impacted in nearly every way because of coal: healthcare, home ownership, quality of life, entertainment, education ....you name it, coal has left its economic imprint all over the region. I ask you, what would eastern Kentucky look like or be without coal. That is a very hard question to answer. Would it be a waste land? Miles and miles of call centers? The truth of the matter is eastern Kentucky needs a new brand.

What would that new brand be? I have no idea. I am not an elected leader in eastern Kentucky. I am one of the many that has had to move away to "make a living". My brother made a very good point to me when he said, "the elected officials don't want this argument (coal and economic diversity) to change, because if it did, they would have to actually do their jobs". I told him he is right. I feel the current leadership of eastern Kentucky lacks the imagination, insight, and skill to re-brand the region. In the absence of those three qualities what do they do, throw meat to the dogs. They rage for the status quo. Coal is king and always will be king.

The times have changed since coal was king. We live in a different age. Instead of fighting the Soviets, we have a war on global terror. Instead of disco, we have climate change. Coal does generate electricity for 49% of the US, a slight drop from 1997 when the number was 52.8%.
However, due to growth of the total demand for electricity, the net production of coal-generated electricity increased over the same period from 1.845 to 1.991 trillion kilowatt hour per year in absolute terms. I believe in an honest argument.

The average share of electricity generated from coal power was projected to increase again with a coal plant building boom thanks to the recommendations of former Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force. This task force was one way to thumb the collective nose at the UN and the Kyoto Protocol. The goal of the protocol was to "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

Coal does have some detrimental impact on the environment. Coal power plants are responsible for 93 percent of the sulfur dioxide and 80 percent of the nitrogen oxide emissions generated by the electric utility industry. These emissions spawn the acid rain that is eating away red spruce forests in the Northeast and Appalachia, and rob previously pristine streams of brook trout and other fish species in the Adirondacks, upper Midwest and Rocky Mountains.

Coal emissions also cause urban smog, which has been linked to respiratory ailments, and coal-fired power plants also contribute to global climate change. Coal plants emit 73 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere from electricity generators. By releasing the energy stored in coal, large quantities of carbon dioxide that have been stored in the coal for millions of years are released back into the atmosphere, increasing the threat of global warming. Coal plants are also a major source of airborne emissions of mercury, a toxic heavy metal.

Knowing these facts, why do eastern Kentuckians insist on an economy based on coal. I do not know and I do not have the answers of economic diversification. Change is hard and it is harder when you absolutely hate the man advocating change. I do have some recommendations for the leaders of the region:
1. Focus on solutions that do not harm the environment. Get away from logging as a solution. It is not.
2. Try to be out in front of the next big thing. What areas of the economy look like they are getting ready to take off? Healthcare? I would love to see some of the large durable medical equipment manufacturers stop bringing devices from over sees and set plants up in eastern Kentucky.
3. You may be the key to the immigration problem. I do believe in strong border enforcement. Not because the next terrorist will come from Mexico, but because we have tremendous opportunity for people right here to become farmers, builders and contractors, and highway workers. I would like to see an Immigration Bill tied to an Appalachia Economic Diversification Initiative. Create pools of workers that could work the jobs undocumented workers are doing. Incentivize companies that use the Appalachian Workers Corp in construction and other jobs.
4. Get real about education. Have a mandate similar to the one of President Kennedy when he challenged the country to put a man on the moon before the end of the 60’s. Have it the goal of the Commonwealth to be ion the Top 10 in Education by 2020.
5. Improve the infrastructure. Turn the Mountain Parkway into a part of the interstate system. The same with US 23. Use the lakes and river for energy creation. Innovate a means of better telephone and power lines by putting them all underground so natural disasters do not destroy these important components of life.
6. Focus on a few and master them.

I conclude with this challenge. Let’s be better than what we have been. Use these circumstances eastern Kentucky as an opportunity to make a difference. Improve the economy, environment, education, and reputation of the region. Do not go down the road I see you traveling right now of obstructionist.