Hansen quoted in article on why many states are panicked by the Federal Clean Power Plan

Analysts say the economic woes felt in some parts of coal country, such as southeastern West Virginia, are part of a long-term trend.

“This one’s not cyclical. This is a permanent shift,” said Evan Hansen, principal at Downstream Strategies, a West Virginia environmental consulting firm.

Hansen said Central Appalachia faces an additional challenge: digging for coal is more expensive there than in other regions of the country, partly because of federal mining regulations.

The Clean Power Plan gives each state a different emissions reduction target, depending on the mix of energy used in that state. California is well on its way to meeting its target; Montana may struggle.

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