Impact of CoalCoal is considered a fossil fuel that dates back to prehistoric times. Coal is made up of the remains of plant life that grew over 400 million years ago. Coal is a very abundant natural resource for the United States. Over 90% of the coal consumed in the United States is used to generate electricity. Coal plays an important role in the energy sector in the United States due to our increasing dependence on this natural element. The role of coal in the US economy is positive or negative depending on the political and social vision one takes. The question we need to ask ourselves and society is: what financial benefits can be gained from coal production in relation to the impact on our health and the environment. There are two methods for removing coal from the ground: surface mining and deep mining. The U.S. Department of Environmental Protection defines surface mining as “the removal of soil, subsoil, and other layers and then the extraction of a mineral deposit found fairly close to the earth's surface.” Surface mining involves removing the mountaintop to expose coal seams and then disposing of what is unwanted from the mountaintop in other areas. Removing mountain tops is a very profitable procedure. The process of mountaintop removal can be done quickly and is very economical for the companies that own the land. According to the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection, surface mining involves the following steps: • The layers of rock and soil above the coal (called overburden) are removed. • The upper coal seams are removed with the spoils deposited in an adjacent valley. • Draglines excavate the lower layers of coal and deposit the material in piles. • As for the beginning of coal exploration… half the paper… adopted in the 1980s to ensure competition, over the last 20 years more than 80 percent of sales have received a single bid. The report said the process for calculating the value of leases was flawed, costing the government millions. At the current rate of coal leasing, the inspector general found, each undervaluation of a cent per ton costs taxpayers $3 million” (Broder 2013). The scandal involving the leasing contracts is further support for the political power that the coal industry has. SocialThe issues discussed about the safety of coal production on the health of US citizens and the environment are enormous. The fact that more than 90% of coal usage is for electricity generation and at a lower cost. Coal is like a four letter word depending on your political and social views. AMERICAN DEPARTMENT OF INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTWyoming