"Donald Trump says he would bring back lost coal-mining jobs, and he is positioning for the November election in big coal states by portraying Hillary Clinton as a job killer.
Trump, however, has yet to explain exactly how he will revitalize Appalachia's coal industry. To pull it off, he will have to overcome market forces and a push for cleaner fuels that have pummeled coal.
Coal's slump is largely the result of cheap natural gas, which now rivals coal as a fuel for generating electricity. Older coal-fired plants are being idled to meet clean-air standards.
Another hurdle for reviving coal mining in Appalachia: less coal. Reserves of coal still in the ground are smaller than in western states like Wyoming, the leading coal producer."
David Koenig reports for the Associated Press May 5, 2016.
SEE ALSO:
"Trump Rallies In Charleston, Tells People Not To Vote" (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
"Coal Industry Group Backs Trump" (The Hill)
"Bernie Sanders Pledges to Keep Jobs in Coal Mining Areas" (New York Times)
"Hillary Clinton Apologizes For Coal Comments In West Virginia" (CNN)
"AP FACT CHECK: Trump's Vow To Create Appalachian Coal Jobs"
Source: AP, 05/06/2016
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