Coal

Report — Feb 1, 2021

Examining Federal Economic Development Support for Coal Communities: Athens, Ohio Region

This case study, part of RFF and EDF's Fairness for Workers in Transition series, analyzes whether, and to what extent, federal economic development assistance has supported the region in and around Athens County, Ohio.

Report — Jan 26, 2021

Coal Communities in Transition: A Case Study of Colstrip, Montana

This case study, part of RFF and EDF's Fairness for Workers in Transition series, analyzes the energy uncertainty in Colstrip, an isolated, resource-dependent community in southeastern Montana.

Media Highlight — Jan 12, 2021

Audit of US Coal Tax Credit Set to Expire in 2021 Underway by Federal Watchdog

S&P Global cites the work of RFF researchers Brian Prest and Alan Krupnick extensively in a story about refined coal.

Report — Oct 23, 2017

The Roles of Energy Markets and Environmental Regulation in Reducing Coal-Fired Plant Profits and Electricity Sector Emissions

Market forces explain much of the US electricity sector NOx emissions reductions and nearly all coal plant retirements.

Working Paper — Jul 5, 2018

Retirements and Funerals: The Emission, Mortality, and Coal-Mine Employment Effects of a Two-Year Delay in Coal and Nuclear Power Plant Retirements

A leaked US government memo proposes preventing the scheduled retirement of coal and nuclear power plants for two years. Using a detailed simulation model, we estimate the effects of such a policy on emissions, mortality, and coal-mine jobs.

Working Paper — Nov 22, 2016

Spatial Distribution of Coal-Fired Power Plants in China

Media Highlight — Jan 12, 2021

Audit of US Coal Tax Credit Set to Expire in 2021 Underway by Federal Watchdog

S&P Global cites the work of RFF researchers Brian Prest and Alan Krupnick extensively in a story about refined coal.

Media Highlight — Dec 23, 2019

US Senators Ask for Government Investigation of Coal Tax Credit Program

"Three U.S. Democratic senators have asked the investigative arm of Congress to evaluate a $1 billion-a-year subsidy for burning chemically treated refined coal, after research has shown that some power plants using the fuel produced surging amounts of mercury and smog instead of cutting pollution."

Media Highlight — Jul 8, 2019

"Trump Talks Up ‘America’s Environmental Leadership’ in Climate Speech"

Richard Newell is quoted in a New York Times article on President Trump's environmental speech.

Common Resources — Mar 2, 2020

“Refined Coal” is Still No Bargain

A new empirical assessment from RFF scholars finds that the billion-dollar refined coal tax credit offers few benefits.

Resources Magazine — Oct 9, 2019

How Clean is “Refined Coal”?

Brian C. Prest examines the effectiveness of the billion-dollar federal subsidy for refined coal in the United States.