A new analysis from WildEarth Guardians has found that among the United States’ top-producing coal mines, safety violations occur at a rate of one every hour, and a miner dies for every 51 million tons of coal produced.
According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, in 2017 there was a 100 percent jump in coal miner fatalities. The top violator was Murray Energy, which is owned by coal magnate Bob Murray and operates mines in Utah and Appalachia. The monetary amount coal mines were fined for violations was only a drop in the bucket when compared with their profits.
In contrast, a recent report found less risk of injury and death in renewable energy production than in fossil fuel jobs—evidence that comes even as the renewable energy industry grows in leaps and bounds.
Read the press release.
