NEW: Federal data reveals a lot about coal sector, but top line is coal jobs and production took a turn downward again:
Let's talk a few more stats: platform.mi.spglobal.com/web/client?aut… 1/
Let's talk a few more stats: platform.mi.spglobal.com/web/client?aut… 1/
For example, in the second half of 2016, we produced about 1.4% more coal than we did in the second half of 2017. 2/
Fourth quarter average coal mining employment was the lowest it has been since Trump took office and currently just 705 jobs higher than Obama's last quarter in office. There were more average coal jobs reported in first three months of 2016 than the last quarter of 2017. 3/
Year over year, coal jobs are up in Central Appalachia and Southern Appalachia, 13% and 24%, respectively. That's because they took the hardest hit when met coal tanked and are now doing better as those markets improve. 4/
Most importantly every bit of improvement or deviation from the long decline is very, very modest. Kentucky coal employment remains 65% off highs seen in 2011. West Virginia is down 44% in the same period. 5/
Look at places like Boone County, WV: Reported 4,554 employees in 2011. 888 in recent quarter. Similar stories in KY. These are the places that were told coal was coming back. 6/
The temporary surge, particularly in Central Appalachia, was a met coal boom. Met coal is increasingly a larger share of production in places like West Virginia. That means you'll see jobs spike now and then. But a decline is likely to continue. 7/
Coal producers know this. Peabody Energy has said they expect Powder River Basin production to be down in 2018. And because of its size, as the PRB goes, so likely goes the U.S. thermal coal market. 8/
