Each person in the U.S. uses 20 pounds of coal every day. Since 1986, about 40 percent of America’s coal continues to come from Wyoming. It’s a lot of coal, especially considering that some label the United States as the “Saudi Arabia of coal.”
As a Republican dominated Congress settles into Washington, they are taking over key Senate committees dealing with energy.
While the Keystone XL pipeline remains a top priority, it is merely one of many aspects of the Senate’s energy agenda. Another issue high on the list is blocking or delaying the Environmental Protection Agency’s controversial carbon emissions plan.
In the next installment of Here & Now’s series on the new Congress and energy, Leigh Paterson of the Inside Energy team reports on what’s at stake for American coal, from the nation’s top producing state.
Reporter
- Leigh Paterson, reporter for Inside Energy, a collaborative journalism initiative among public media with roots in Colorado, Wyoming and North Dakota. She tweets @Sclaterpee.
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