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Surface Coal Mining and Human Health: Evidence from West Virginia

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  • Luke G. Fitzpatrick

Abstract

This article presents the first panel‐data evidence of a human health externality from the air pollution generated by surface coal mining. In West Virginia, a standard deviation increase in a county's exposure to surface coal mining is associated with 9.85 more asthma hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in a given quarter. Interpreted causally, this suggests over $11 million in hospitalization costs over the 6‐year study period. The study builds on earlier cross‐sectional research by controlling for unobserved county‐level heterogeneity, and by defining more accurate measures of exposure. Both methods are shown to reduce the bias associated with earlier estimates of coal mining's effect on health. Young and elderly women demonstrate the largest sensitivities to surface mining. Falsification tests reveal that neither hernias nor bone fractures demonstrate any relationship with surface mining activity.

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  • Luke G. Fitzpatrick, 2018. "Surface Coal Mining and Human Health: Evidence from West Virginia," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 84(4), pages 1109-1128, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:84:y:2018:i:4:p:1109-1128
    DOI: 10.1002/soej.12260
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hasdi Aimon & Anggi Putri Kurniadi & Sri Ulfa Sentosa & Nurhayati Abd Rahman, 2023. "Production, Consumption, Export and Carbon Emission for Coal Commodities: Cases of Indonesia and Australia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(5), pages 484-492, September.
    2. Dongqin Wang, 2022. "How does religion affect health in the gold mining industry? Evidence from Nigeria," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 2218-2250, November.
    3. Chu, Yin & Holladay, J. Scott & Qiu, Yun & Tian, Xian-Liang & Zhou, Maigeng, 2023. "Air pollution and mortality impacts of coal mining: Evidence from coalmine accidents in China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    4. Gayatree Sahoo & Asis Kumar Senapati, 2021. "Are the households in coal mining regions more vulnerable? A study in Talcher Coalfield of India," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 34(3), pages 455-475, October.
    5. Mueller, Rose M., 2022. "Surface coal mining and public health disparities: Evidence from Appalachia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    6. Iwona Markuszewska, 2021. "The Energy Landscape versus the Farming Landscape: The Immortal Era of Coal?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-23, October.
    7. Chu, Yin & Holladay, J. Scott & Qiu, Yun & Tian, Xian-Liang & Zhou, Maigeng, 2023. "Air Pollution and Mortality Impacts of Coal Mining: Evidence from Coalmine Accidents in China," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1302, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

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