Coal Legislation
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Coal is a fossil fuel- hydrocarbon containing natural resource, much like petroleum or natural gas. It is extracted from the Earth by strip mining or underground mining. It is a readily combustible black sedimentary rock, which is one of the three main rock categories. Coal is composed of carbon and hydrocarbons, in coordination with other elements. It is the leading source of electricity the world over. It is estimated that half of the worlds electricity is powered by coal.
Coal mining in the United States is recorded to have first occurred in Virginia when 50 tons were purged from the earth in 1748 (coaleducation.org). Today, all of the states with coal deposits have produced coal at one point in Americas history as America produces over one billion tons of coal per year. Similar to the cash crops of cotton and tobacco, the business of coal mining has greatly effected the historical development of the Unites States in terms of economic growth, technological advancements, global recognition and even physical expansion. The mining of coal was one of the draws that enticed Americans to travel west and expand the United States. US coal production has reached record levels, but not all coal producing States have shared in this growth. The peak coal production in some States occurred many decades ago, whereas in other States the coal industry has been revitalized in recent times. These changes reflect shifts in the use of coal over the years. The legislation pertaining to coal issues has effected many aspects of American life including Manifest Destinys expansion westward, the federal ownership of coal lands, mine safety and health, labor issues and eventually pollution and social responsibility (bydesign.com)
Coal lands “in the public domain were governed by special legislation and were not subject to the same right of location as hard rock and petroleum deposits,” according to Utah government archives. In 1866, Congress decreed that coal bed land be sold to the highest bidder at $20 an acre. In 1873, Congress limited purchase amounts to 160 acres for individuals, 320 for associations, and 640 for associations who had already spent at least $5,000 in improving a coal mine. In doing so, Congress paved a path for railroad companies to own coal land in Utah, which provided a lucrative mixture of business ventures. This also marked the start of federal coal land ownership legislation and the introduction of mining camps, which would later incite health and safety legislation (archives.utah.gov).
One third of all US coal production comes from federally owned coal land (www.blm.gov). Because of the federal governments role in coal land ownership, the government has a strong hold on large sections of American land. Much of this land lies in the West causing an non-proportionate amount of land in the West federally owned because of coal deposits than from other regions of the US. In the case of Nevada, much of its land was being threatened by federal takeover. With the “Lands Legacy Initiative”, Congress is buying private property in the name of environmental responsibility. If the initiative is implemented, 95 percent of Nevadas land will come under federal jurisdiction (nj.npri.org). However, federal intervention in coal land ownership has been beneficial in American history. When railroads expanded to the West, they expanding coal mining. With the ease of railroad transport, the coal industry became dependent
on the railroads for business. In 1875, the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad company beat the Union Pacific railroad for tracks extending to the rich Utah coal lands. Through fraudulent dealings, the Denver and Rio Grande Western purchased extensive coal lands and than joinged with the Pleasant Valley Coal Company and the Utah Fuel Company to form a monopoly on Utah coal in 1887. In this instance, successful litigation over the illegal purchase of coal lands disbanded the monopoly (archives.utah.gov).
Concerning health and safety regulations, coal legislation has a persistent presence. The first federal statute governing mine safety passed by Congress in 1891 established minimum ventilation requirements for underground coal mines and banned employment of children under 12 years old. This law set the precedent for comprehensive federal legislation to regulate coal mining. In 1910, Congress added the agency of the Bureau of Mines to the Department of the Interior to research and reduce accidents in the coal mining industry. In 1941, Congress furthered this by letting federal inspectors into mines and in 1947 Congress formed the first code of federal regulations for mine safety. In 1952, the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act demanded annual inspections in some underground coal mines, allowed the Bureau to issue violation notices and imminent danger withdrawal orders, and provided for civil penalties against mine operators for noncompliance with inspectors orders. One of the biggest pieces in legislation regarding health and safety in the coal industry is the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, also known as the Coat Act which included all surface and underground mines under jurisdiction of investigation, required annual inspections