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The Future Of Wyoming's Coal Mine Clean-Up

Wyoming Public Media

Today, nearly 40% of all coal produced in the U.S. comes from Wyoming. In order to access that coal, companies use huge machines to move dirt out of the way. That means a lot of land, over 170 thousand acres, is currently dug up by mining operations in the state. And reclaiming it- restoring it to what it once was- is expensive.

As the health of the coal industry declines, the ability of coal companies to pay for future mine clean-up is in question. Our Inside Energy reporter Leigh Paterson sat down with Todd Parfitt, the Director of the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, to talk about coal mine reclamation. 

Email: lpaterson@insideenergy.org; leighpaterson@rmpbs.org
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