Coal Waste, Socioeconomic Change, and Environmental Inequality in Appalachia: Implications for a Just Transition in Coal Country

Resource-dependent communities are subject to both unstable economic patterns and environmental degradation associated with extractive industries. However, few studies have empirically analyzed these dynamics in tandem and over time. This paper explores whether Appalachian neighborhoods closer to co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Society & natural resources Vol. 31; no. 9; pp. 995 - 1011
Main Author: Greenberg, Pierce
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Philadelphia Routledge 02.09.2018
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects:
Appalachia
Appalachian region
Coal
coal mining
Communities
Disasters
Economic conditions
Employment
Environmental degradation
environmental inequality
Externality
Hazards
Inequality
just transitions
Mine wastes
Mining
Mining industry
Neighborhoods
Poverty
Production
Regression analysis
Regression models
resource-dependent communities
risk
Scientists
Socioeconomic change
Socioeconomic factors
Spatial analysis
United States
wastes
United States > US
Appalachian region
United States
ISSN:0894-1920, 1521-0723, 1521-0723
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Resource-dependent communities are subject to both unstable economic patterns and environmental degradation associated with extractive industries. However, few studies have empirically analyzed these dynamics in tandem and over time. This paper explores whether Appalachian neighborhoods closer to coal waste impoundments experienced steeper poverty changes from 1990 to 2000. Impoundment failures have resulted in some of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history and scientists have expressed concerns over their growing heights and risks. Spatial regression models show that neighborhoods closer to impoundments have higher poverty increases on average, even after controlling for mining employment and other variables. These findings highlight the need for a deeper consideration of the environmental inequalities associated with the continued downturn of coal production and employment in the United States. Further, discussions about just transitions must recognize the legacy hazards and externalities associated with extractive industries - and their impacts on communities.
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ISSN:0894-1920
1521-0723
1521-0723
DOI:10.1080/08941920.2018.1456593