By Bobby McCool, Kentucky State Representative 97th District

December 4, 2024 - Electricity, roads, smartphones. What do all these seemingly unrelated things have in common? Their existence is dependent on mined materials, extracted from the earth by hard-working men and women who take pride in the role they play in providing a great quality of life to our nation.  While the products mined can range from rock salt to metals, Kentuckians most often think of mining in terms of the coal industry that accounts for almost 70 percent of our energy portfolio. It is the coal miner that kept our state’s utility rates less expensive than neighboring states.

Since its inception in 2009, our nation celebrates National Miners Day each year on December 6 to recognize miners and honor their contributions to society. That specific date was intentionally chosen to commemorate the largest casualty event in mining history, which killed 362 miners on December 6, 1907, in Monongah, West Virginia.

Bobby McCool

On a national level, the mining industry plays an integral role in powering a variety of U.S. industries from manufacturing to transportation by supplying the materials necessary for industry operations. Additionally, the mining industry helps drive the U.S. economy. According to the National Mining Association’s 2023 Mining Facts Report, there are 472,000 direct mining industry jobs and 813,000 indirect jobs generated by the mining industry in the U.S. Additionally, the annual U.S. revenues generated through mining is $119 billion.

In Kentucky, coal mining has a rich, extensive history, starting with the discovery of coal in the state in 1750. As the years progressed, coal production in Kentucky grew as the number of coal-powered locomotives increased and the railroad industry expanded. Additionally, the increasing demand for electricity, generated by coal-burning plants, subsequently increased the demand for Kentucky coal. In 1971, Kentucky became the leading coal producer in the U.S. with operations in Eastern and Western Kentucky at surface and underground coal mines.

While Kentucky’s coal industry has faced a subtle decline in production since 1990 and a rapid decrease under both the Biden and Obama administration’s unfounded environmental policies, it still ranks among the top coal-producing states in the U.S. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Kentucky ranked fifth in coal production in 2022. Most of the coal produced in Kentucky comes from the state’s underground mines despite the fact that Kentucky has more surface mines, and it is used to produce electricity, iron, and steel.

As a hallmark industry in Kentucky, the coal mining industry has a significant economic impact on the state. According to a study conducted by West Virginia University’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Kentucky’s coal production in 2021 generated around $1.4 billion in direct output and $1 billion in secondary output, for a total estimated economic impact of $2.4 billion.

Behind the history and economic impact of coal mining, we must recognize that none of it would be possible without the people behind the industry — the miners. On a day-to-day basis, Kentucky coal miners could have a variety of job responsibilities including, but not limited to: driving underground equipment, transporting mined materials, building entryways in the mines, and operating surface mining equipment. These job responsibilities often require that miners work long hours and in dusty, hot, and noisy conditions. And, despite the increased use of technology, it is still a deadly, dangerous job.

As a result of a miner’s job responsibilities and overall work environment, mining tends to be a strenuous and dangerous profession. Miners are susceptible to a variety of dangers over the course of their careers including, but not limited to: hearing damage and loss, equipment injuries, respiratory illnesses, fires and explosions, and roof cave-ins and rock falls. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration, established with the passage of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, reported 40 fatalities in the mining industry. Three of the 40 fatalities in 2023 occurred in Kentucky. While the number of yearly fatalities has drastically decreased over the years from 242 in 1978 to 40 in 2023, 2023 marked the highest number of fatalities since 2014.

So, the next time you drive on the road, turn on the lights in your home, or use your smartphone, remember that, without a miner, all these things would cease to exist. As a former third-generation coal miner, I recognize the invaluable efforts that miners put forth every day to sustain our way of life. This National Miners Day, let’s recognize and thank all our miners for their hard work, sacrifices, and contributions to the state of Kentucky and beyond.