While coal is reaching record-high prices, mining accidents and fatalities at smaller startup mining operations, often called "dogholes," are increasing.

Since May 20, seven miners have died, bring the number of U.S. miners killed this year to 33 -- compared with 22 for all of last year.

Data suggests the higher incident of fatalities is due to the proliferation of smaller, undercapitalized mines trying to cash in on high coal prices. Many refer to these as "dogpiles."

A report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which examined data from 1988 to 1997, found the fatality rate at coalmines with fewer than 50 employees was 4.24 times the rate at mines with 250 or more workers. According to data from the Labor Department's Mine Safety and Health Administration, in each of the past three years, the fatality rate at underground coalmines with fewer than 50 workers was higher than the rate for all underground coalmines.

"More miners are at risk because of undercapitalized mines," says Tony Oppegard, a former MSHA official during the Clinton administration who is now a lawyer in Lexington, Ky., representing miners and their families. "I think the deaths are going to mount with the demand for coal."

The term "dogholes" is a sensational one, used by mine-safety "zealots," said Bill Caylor, president of the Kentucky Coal Association. "But there is some legitimacy to this. There are some operators that are ruthless that have been the bad apple in the entire barrel" (Kris Maher, Wall Street Journal [subscription required]).

Scenic Colombian port city contaminated with dust

Santa Marta, a port city once touted by the Colombian government as being the next Acapulco, is losing out on its enormous worth as a eco-tourism destination because of coal dust blowing in from the Colombia's burgeoning industry.

The demand for coal worldwide, especially's Colombia's high-quality coal, is coming at the cost of Santa Marta's tourism industry and the jobs it provides. Instead of a prime destination for white, sandy beaches, the port city is now a departure point for daily coal shipments. The operations at the port is the chief source of the dust in Santa Marta.

The increased coal shipments, according to local officials, is to blame for only one new hotel for the city in three years.

Additionally, contamination of Santa Marta Bay by coal dust and by at least two major spills from coal-laden barges since 2001 has severely damaged the marine ecosystem and reduced the once-rich fishing grounds, experts said (Chris Kraul, Los Angeles Times).

Power firms rush to build plants before regulations, author says

Power companies in the United States are rushing to build new coal-fired power plants before the government cracks down on greenhouse gas emissions, the author of a new book on the coal industry said this week.

Jeff Goodell, author of "Big Coal," said that the country's changing politics are forcing the coal industry to move quickly with construction of power plants before new laws restrict them. He asserts that the 2008 presidential election could bring a leader who would make it a legislative priority to enforce stricter emissions standards for the country.

Power companies have submitted plans so far to build 120 plants that burn coal.

"There's a dawning awareness in the coal industry that it is as good as it's going to get right now," said Goodell. "Changing politics in America are not going to favor the coal industry."

Houghton Mifflin will publish "Big Coal" next month (Timothy Gardner, Reuters, May 31).

U.K. firms to explore "supercritical" power generator

Scottish and British energy firms announced this week they will begin exploring the possibility of building a 500-megawatt "supercritical" power generation unit that would cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Scottish and Southern Energy is teaming up with Mitsui Babcock, Siemens and UK Coal to investigate building the unit, which burns coal more efficiently than a conventional coal-fired station. The unit for SSE's Ferrybridge power plant in west Yorkshire, U.K., would save approximately 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.

SSE put the project at around £250 million (Mark Milner, London Guardian). (All cites June 1 unless noted.) -- EB