How a highly mechanized mining method reshapes land, water, climate and communities across the United States
Longwall mining is one of the most efficient ways to extract coal from deep underground. With massive mechanized shearers and hydraulic shields that allow entire panels of coal to be carved out at once, the method maximizes production and company profits.
But this efficiency comes with substantial costs.
Longwall mining intentionally collapses the ground behind the operation, causing predictable- but often inadequately regulated- damage to homes, waterways, farmland, and ecosystems. It also releases large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. While Pennsylvania is one of the most active longwall mining states, communities across the country face similar threats and similar failures of regulatory oversight.
Citizens Coal Council works closely with residents, partner organizations, and technical experts to expose these harms and push for regulatory reform in Pennsylvania and beyond.
What Is Longwall Mining?
Longwall mining is an underground mining method in which a large mechanized shearer cuts coal along a long panel—often more than a mile long. Hydraulic shields temporarily hold up the roof as the machine moves forward. After the coal is removed, the roof is allowed to collapse intentionally in a process called planned subsidence.
This collapse is not accidental or rare—it is an essential feature of longwall mining.
1. Subsidence: When the Ground Sinks, Communities Pay
Unlike other mining methods, longwall mining causes large-scale, rapid, and guaranteed subsidence. Land above the operation can drop several feet within days.
Impacts include:
- Cracked foundations and structural damage to homes
- Sinking roads, bridges, and utilities
- Destroyed farmland, with surface depressions that trap water
- Damage to wetlands, springs, and streams
- Loss of mature forests as roots are exposed or soil dries out
In Pennsylvania, CCC has tracked numerous cases where homeowners waited years for compensation- or received far less than needed to repair their property.
Subsidence is not an act of nature. It is an engineered outcome, and coalfield families are left holding the bill.
2. Water Loss and Stream Impacts
Subsidence can fracture rock layers, drain springs, and permanently deform stream channels. In longwall mining areas, residents often report:
- Streams that disappear entirely
- Wells that become cloudy, contaminated, or dry
- Wetlands that drain or shift
- Altered flow paths that undermine aquatic habitat
In Pennsylvania’s southwestern counties, multiple streams have required long-term mitigation because of longwall damage- and some have never recovered.
These impacts are not unique to PA. In West Virginia, Utah, Illinois, and Colorado, longwall mining has caused similar water losses and ecosystem degradation.
3. Methane Emissions: A Major Climate Threat
Longwall mines are significant sources of methane- a greenhouse gas 86 times more potent than CO₂ over 20 years.
Methane leaks from:
- Ventilation systems
- Gob wells (used to remove methane from collapsed areas)
- Degasification wells drilled before mining
- Sealed portions of old works
Despite this, methane emissions from mining are widely underreported and weakly regulated. Pennsylvania’s oversight failures mirror gaps nationwide, where:
- Regulators often rely on self-reported industry data
- Methane monitoring is outdated or incomplete
- Ventilation and gob wells lack robust emission controls
CCC continues to push for accurate reporting, improved monitoring, and enforceable methane standards.
4. Damage to Agricultural Land and Natural Resources
Subsidence disrupts productive farmland, sometimes permanently. Impacts include:
- Uneven ground that prevents planting
- Standing water that drowns crops
- Damaged drainage tiles
- Soil compaction from shifting layers
Forests also suffer as tree roots are exposed or water tables drop. These changes affect biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and watershed health.
5. Inadequate Bonding and Regulatory Loopholes
Longwall mining is expensive to regulate properly, but companies often provide bonds that are far too small to cover true damage costs. Nationwide issues include:
- Underfunded bonds for land and water restoration
- Slow enforcement of water loss claims
- Regulators deferring to companies when assessing damage
- Weak monitoring requirements for methane, water, and subsidence
- Industry self-reporting that frequently goes unverified
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) struggles with limited staff, outdated systems, and political pressure- challenges mirrored in other coal states. As mines expand or shift operations, regulators often cannot keep up.
The failures we see in Pennsylvania are not isolatedp- they are symptoms of a national pattern of regulatory capture.
6. Cultural and Community Impacts
Longwall mining often targets rural areas where residents have deep cultural and generational ties to the land. Subsidence and water loss can mean:
- Family farms losing viability
- Communities losing access to clean water
- Homes losing value or becoming unlivable
- Loss of trust in government institutions
- Persistent stress and financial strain
While coal companies describe longwall mining as modern and efficient, the burdens fall heavily on everyday people.
National Problem, Local Frontline
Pennsylvania has become a focal point of longwall mining impacts, particularly in Greene and Washington Counties. CCC has documented:
- Streams permanently impaired
- Homes severely damaged
- Methane emissions ignored or underestimated
- Years-long battles for compensation
- Regulatory decisions favoring industry over communities
But states like Utah, West Virginia, Colorado, and Illinois report similar problems. The longwall method produces predictable harm- and regulators across the U.S. have not kept pace.
CCC’s Work: Protecting Communities and Holding Regulators Accountable
Citizens Coal Council works to expose the harmful impacts of longwall mining and push for stronger protections through:
Monitoring & Investigation
- Tracking methane emissions, subsidence damage, and water loss
- Reviewing permits and mining plans
- Collecting community reports and case studies
Policy & Legal Advocacy
- Challenging weak or unlawful mining permits
- Pressuring regulators to strengthen oversight
- Advocating for accurate methane reporting and climate protections
Supporting Coalfield Communities
- Helping residents document damage
- Connecting families with legal and technical experts
- Ensuring public voices are included in regulatory processes
National Leadership
Although our frontline work is grounded in Pennsylvania, CCC collaborates with allies across the country to push for national standards, transparency, and climate accountability.
A Safer, More Transparent Future
Longwall mining’s impacts do not have to be inevitable. With stronger oversight, meaningful community protections, and modern methane standards, we can reduce harm and prevent further loss.
But change will only come if regulators, lawmakers, and the public understand what is at stake.
CCC remains committed to making that happen, from coalfield communities in Pennsylvania to every region where longwall mining threatens land, water, safety, and climate.