Coal Legislation :: essays research papers

CoalCoal is a fossil fuel- hydrocarbon containing natural resource, much like petroleum or natural gas. It is extracted from the Earth by strip mining or underground mining. It is a readily combustible black sedimentary totter, which is one of the three master(prenominal) rock categories. Coal is composed of carbon and hydrocarbons, in coordination with some other elements. It is the leading source of electricity the world over. It is estimated that half of the worlds electricity is cater by coal.Coal mining in the United States is takeed to have first occurred in Virginia when 50 loads were purged from the earth in 1748 (coaleducation.org). Today, all of the states with coal deposits have produced coal at one point in Americas history as America produces over one billion tons of coal per year. Similar to the cash crops of cotton and tobacco, the business of coal mining has greatly effected the historical development of the Unites States in terms of economic growth, proficie nt advancements, global recognition and even physical expansion. The mining of coal was one of the draws that enticed Americans to travel west and expand the United States. US coal production has reached record levels, but not all coal producing States have shared in this growth. The peak coal production in some States occurred many decades ago, whereas in other States the coal industry has been revitalized in recent times. These changes reflect shifts in the use of coal over the years. The legislation pertaining to coal issues has effected many aspects of American life including Manifest Destinys expansion westward, the federal ownership of coal lands, mine safety and health, labor issues and eventually pollution and social state (bydesign.com)Coal lands in the public domain were governed by special legislation and were not subject to the same right of location as hard rock and petroleum deposits, according to Utah government archives. In 1866, relative decreed that coal bed land be sold to the highest bidder at $20 an acre. In 1873, Congress limited purchase amounts to 160 acres for individuals, 320 for associations, and 640 for associations who had already spent at least $5,000 in improving a coal mine. In doing so, Congress paved a path for railroad companies to own coal land in Utah, which provided a lucrative mixture of business ventures. This also marked the approach of federal coal land ownership legislation and the introduction of mining camps, which would later incite health and safety legislation (archives.