The Truth About Coal

As a producer of the largest and oldest surface mine permit in the state and a proud member of the Pennsylvania Coal Association, we strive to supply clean, affordable energy for many generations to come. Coal has received the reputation of being a destructive, outdated form of energy; we respectfully disagree.

This page was created to help stop the spread of misinformation around the coal industry.

FAQs

Does coal mining destroy the environment?

No, much of the land we mine is actually left better than we found it. Backfilling active surface mining pits is quick and concise, so an open pit that you see this year will be a farmable field by next year. Yes, it's that fast! The areas we occupy are originally unfarmable or unforested waste land, and after mining, we restore that land to either new forests or rolling hills capable of being farmed.

Is coal power a main cause of global warming?

No, modern coal power produces very little carbon on a global scale. We have enrolled hundreds of acres of land into clean and green programs, and pledged land to forest management and carbon offset programs. Cover crops also have the ability to actively draw down carbon in real time. Modern coal mines, like us, use these crops year round to draw carbon out of the air and offset the carbon produced.

Does mining coal harm the surrounding natural water supply?

Not anymore. While Heritage has not created bad water during our mining history, we have inherited some from old mining permits that we purchased. We manage the water treatment very closely, and our efforts are actually producing improvements and favorable conditions in the Casselman River. In addition to water treatment, we are working to permanently improve the inherited water problems by “re-mining”. This may sound counter intuitive, but the “cause” of the bad water is the coal that was improperly left behind by previous miners. The act of removing those remnants and lining the pit floors with limestone is a permanent fix to the bad water. This is a critical concept that many fail to see. It is the ONLY permanent solution to the bad water created from the old mining practices of decades ago.

Does natural gas and other forms of energy outcompete coal?

Internationally, coal is the main source of fuel for electric power and steel plants. (Yes, even your electric cars depend on coal in one way or another.) Oil, natural gas, and nuclear power actually follow behind, making coal the most reliable, affordable power to date.

American Made

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Our coal is 100% American made, it is not imported from other countries. From removing coal from the earth to properly disposing coal ash, we're in control. Did you know that for each coal mining job, an additional 3.5 jobs are created elsewhere in the economy?

Have questions for us?

We want you to feel safe in your own backyard and educated in the industry at the same time. If you have any questions about our environmental standards, reach out to us. We'd be happy to walk you through any of our mining processes.

Reach out

More Resources

The Coal Truth

The Pennsylvania Coal Alliance is committed to promoting and advancing the Pennsylvania coal industry and the economic and social benefit to the employees, businesses, communities, and consumers who depend on affordable, reliable, and increasingly clean energy from coal.

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PA Coal Alliance

The Coal Truth believes that an unbiased look at the positives and the negatives of coal shows that the case against coal rests on widespread myths and that the truth is coal is good for our lives, good for our health, good for our environment–good for human progress.

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