[MonsterMan]

This is an unusual, but timely thread. The Obama administration has been hard on coal, but what is killing EKY coal is the free market place. EKY coal has not only lost out to natural gas, but also to coal in other regions. Our reserves are to expensive to mine and transport.

The coal areas will decline because our local leaders rode the coal severence money train and used the money for political gain and not for non coal growth.

I think the schools in some areas have seen this already happen and have weathered the storm somewhat. They are in Johnson, Lawrence, Floyd and Haraln Counties. I think the areas that will get hammered will be Pike and Perry Counties, but no county will be exempt.

There will be a mass migration out of the hills and schools will suffer. I see more consolidation and less money to run schools. This will effect sports programs. Fewer smaller teams with less money is not a good thing, but I think one that will happen.