[RunItUpTheGut]

While I'll agree that the EPA regulations on older powerhouses might be a little of the coal's problem, Eastern coal's biggest enemies are cheap gas, coming out of the ground at phenomenal rates in the Marcellas Shale areas, and western coal that is selling at 6 (last number I heard a few months ago)dollars a ton. I've worked at building those compressor stations in the Wheeling WV area. They are building dozens and dozens of them. Newer, updated power plants can take a little eastern coal, and mix it with a lot of the western coal to run their plants. They are buying more of the cheap coal, and less of the eastern, $68(last price I heard) coal. Plus, in the last about 10 years, these power companies have built a lot of gas units(I've worked on building a bunch of these units), to give them the burning gas option. Also There are a ton of reasons coal is way down in KY and WV, and politicians are the least of these. It's part of a changing market. All that, coupled with some coal companies safety records, is what is killing KY coal.

I honestly believe gas prices are about to explode. With the current technology I'm thinking the epa goes after fracking next after there done with coal.
In 2011 we were doing extremely well. A mini boom
But 2012 seen the bottom drop out of it.