Visualization of energy use in every state

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy and using data from the Energy Information Administration, has produced flow charts showing the major sources and uses of energy in every U.S. state in the year 2014.

Council of Economic Advisers releases report on coal leasing on federal lands

The White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) released a report entitled, "The Economics of Coal Leasing on Federal Lands: Ensuring a Fair Return to Taxpayers".

What is coalbed methane?

Most coal has some methane (the main component of natural gas) trapped inside it. This methane is produced during the coal formation process and gets trapped on the surface of the coal in tiny pores and fractures.¹ Many coalbeds also contain large amounts of water; the pressure from this water keeps the methane in place. Coalbed methane is extracted by pumping out the water, which lowers the pressure, allowing the gas to detach from the coal surface and flow out into the well.¹

EESI holds webinar on adaptations to the declining coal industry in coal-impacted communities

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a webinar entitled, "Can Coal Country Thrive in a Clean Energy Economy?" to discuss the range of adaptations, investments, and development programs underway in coal-reliant regions.

DOI announces review of federal coal program

The Department of the Interior (DOI) released a notice of intent (NOI) that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate potential reforms to the federal coal program.

Interactive map of New Mexico's geology and natural resources

The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources' interactive map of New Mexico provides a large amount of information on the state's geology and natural resources, including:

Interactive map of Michigan's geology and natural resources

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's GeoWebFace website provides a large amount of information on Michigan's geology and natural resources in interactive map form, including:

Interactive map of coal mines in Iowa

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources's (DNR) interactive map of coal mines in Iowa shows the locations of coal mines and mine entrances throughout Iowa, and also has the option to search the map by street address. Users may click on the map to access information about mine use dates, type, mining method, entrance type, and links to original mine maps.

Click here to use the Iowa DNR's interactive map of coal mines in Iowa

Source: Iowa Department of Natural Resources

What are the different types of coal?

The coal formation process involves the burial of peat, which is made of partly decayed plant materials, deep underground. The heat and pressure of burial alters the texture and increases the carbon content of the peat, which transforms it into coal, a type of sedimentary rock. This process takes millions of years.

Types, or “ranks,” of coal are determined by carbon content. There are four types of coal, ordered from highest to lowest rank below.

Interactive map of abandoned mines in Virginia

The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy's interactive map shows the locations of abandoned coal mines throughout the state of Virginia. The map allows users to explore a range of mine features. These features are important because abandoned mines have many land-related problems such as landslides, stream sedimentation, hazardous structures, dangerous highwalls, subsidence, loss of water, acid mine drainage, and open mine portals.

American Geosciences Institute

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