The Associated Press ran a must-read story today exploring the sharply falling production of coal in central Appalachia and the causes of that decline. It was carried on the front page of the Lexington Herald Leader as well as other news outlets.

Below are a few compelling points from the article. But do go read the whole thing.

"The region's thick, easy-to-reach seams of coal are running out, forcing many operators to shift to cheaper and more destructive mining methods that draw heavier environmental regulation. Coal here is getting harder and costlier to dig — and the region, which includes southern West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, is headed for a huge collapse in coal production. The U.S. Department of Energy projects that in a little more than three years, the amount of coal mined here will be just half of what it was in 2008."

The data cited in the article has been public knowledge for some time. But this story has the potential to reach a broad audience and contribute to greater understanding about the real challenges facing the region.

KFTC members will continue to press for our public leaders to acknowledge that the decline of coal production in eastern Kentucky is rooted in laws of economics and geology, not government regulations. We will continue to support efforts by the US EPA to protect our health and the land and water resources we have left. And we will continue to call for everyone who cares about the future of the Appalachian region to focus our efforts on making a transition to a more sustainable and healthy economy.