Rural Journalism: Economic Visions of Eastern Kentucky
"Well, once the coal goes away, I just don’t see what you do to keep the show going.†Gov. Paul Patton
Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues Blog Post:
University of Kentucky historian Ron Eller, author of the recent Appalachian history Uneven Ground, argues that tourism and other industries could replace coal mining and lead to greater prosperity. But former Gov. Paul Patton of Pikeville, now back in the mining business, says the region cannot support its current population without coal.
Eller is among those who want to wean Appalachia from its historical dependence on coal. "We have to do two things,†he said when asked about the future of the Appalachian economy: "Look for other alternatives [to coal mining] and stop limiting those alternatives by destroying the terrain.†In order to ready the region for transition to tourism, Eller urges the state to "stop giving out permits to surface mines above 2,000 feet†above sea level — an act that would end most Eastern Kentucky strip mining.
The Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, based in Berea, says promotion of entrepreneurship and "micro-businesses†with five or fewer employees is the key to the region’s economic future. MACED President Justin Maxson argues, "If you add just one job at 10 percent of the micro-businesses in Kentucky, that's 5,800 new jobs in the state ,†and current economic-development strategies " overlook an important swath of entrepreneurship in the mountains.â€
For decades, the best-known entrepreneurs in the Appalachian coalfield were coal operators. Paul Patton, right, was one. Eight years in Kentucky’s highest office has made him less optimistic – or as he puts it, more realistic – about a non-coal economy. Patton was never a strip miner, but says surface mining isn’t an obstacle to economic diversification. "It’s a tradeoff,†he says, holding up his hands like a pair of scales. "You can’t have a modern society and a pristine environment. You can’t say you want all the benefits [of development] and then ban something every time human life is affected. You just can’t.†Asked about his own administration’s progress on Appalachian development, he sat back in his chair for a moment. "Well,†he smiled, "it’s a lot harder than I expected. I didn’t really get the results I wanted.†Pressed to say what happens when the coal runs out, he was frank. "Virginia City,†he said, naming the Nevada boom town that became a ghost town when its silver ran out."Well, once the coal goes away, I just don’t see what you do to keep the show goin’.â€
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