Federal Lawmakers Consider Help for Coal States

Lawmakers proposed a bill Wednesday that would set aside $1 billion to help states struggling from the downturn in the coal industry. The money would go toward economic development. The $1 billion taken from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund would be used for tourism, infrastructure, and new business — on or near sites that have been deemed abandoned mines. Cheaper natural gas prices along with oversupply and tougher environment enforcement has caused a drop in coal production, and led to massive job losses in states including West Virginia.