What Does "Clean" Coal Leave Behind?

       West Virginia is still having trouble over that spill of chemicals into the river from whence so many people get their drinking water. The chemical is used to "clean" coal for use. But that isn't the only problem between coal and water in the state. The practice of mountaintop removal mining, which is now illegal, was used for a long time. The waste earth and rocks were dumped into the valleys, polluting the streams. But mixed in with that waste dirt and rocks is some coal and toxic chemicals long buried deep underground.
       How do I know this? I know because here in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the anthracite coal region, many decades ago, the coal was mined and the mine waste was dumped onto culm piles. Eventually some caught fire. A variety of reasons including human mistakes and natural occurrences like lightning cause them to burn. Every time folks thought they had put the fires out, they reappeared. What had happened is they burned underground and into the coal veins, creating their own oxygen as they went.
       These fires continued for dozens of years. homes and towns were forced to be evacuated because of the toxic fumes seeping to the surface. Visit Eckley Villege, Pa. Or drive up to Carbondale, Pa. where several new underground fires have started. Every time I hear someone suggest that coal can be cleaned, I want to shout  H E L L  N O ! Because whatever you "clean" off of or out of coal, winds up somewhere that will cause you trouble down the road. And coal, after it's cleaned, is still a pollutant. Big time.
       It's like knocking a tiger out with a baseball bat. Just because it's out cold, for now, doesn't mean it ain't gonna wake up and take a chunk out of you later. Better yet, try washing an alligator clean. It's gonna bite you while you're washing it and once you think you've got it clean, it's gonna take another chunk outta you.
       I don't mean to be completely negative toward these types of fuel. I admit I don't like natural gas, but it is a whole lot cleaner than coal. Hey, even oil is cleaner than coal. Well, except for Canadian Tar Sands Oil. That stuff is just as bad as coal.