Dr. Henry Bart and his "Field Studies in Environmental Science" class recently participated in a field trip to Frackville, Centralia, and Mahanoy City, PA to learn about coal, energy, and environmental impact. Photo's shown are of the strip mine (with the large shovel), as well as Centralia which has an underground coal fire that has destroyed the town (note the steam coming out of the surface). This fire has been burning for more than 40 years - there is no way to extinguish it.
They also went to a co-generation plant that produces energy from waste coal mixed with shale rock. It makes steam and electricity, at the same time removing the large piles of waste coal that have been leaching acid runoff into the streams and groundwater.
Click here to view more pictures of this Environmental Science Field trip and others.