“Our research found coal mining-dependent economies have generally struggled in the last century compared to Appalachian communities that have not been tied to coal extraction.”
That’s Mark Partridge, CFAES professor and C. William Swank Chair in Rural-Urban Policy, quoted in a recent article about a study he co-authored.
“Remaining tied to coal mining is exactly the opposite of how more prosperous communities have evolved,” Partridge says in the article, “and it risks the future viability of Appalachian counties.”
A ‘roadmap for the rocky transition’
The study suggests a “roadmap for the rocky transition out of coal”—ways to make a fair transition from coal for workers, local governments, and communities.
Ohio has 32 counties (out of 88) designated as Appalachian by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Read the article about Partridge and colleagues’ study.
(Photo: Getty Images.)