Most of the coal mined in the United States today comes from surface mines. In surface mining, the vegetation, soil, and rock covering to coal (referred to as overburden) are removed and set aside. After the coal has been hauled away, good conservation practices require that the overburden be replaced and the surface be restored to its original condition. Land restoration may be difficult in some regions, due to factors such as the local climate, the thickness of the coal seam, the extent of the overburden, and the sulfur content of the coal.

1) Describe the steps that should be taken to restore the land after the overburden has been replaced.

2) Explain why the restoration of the land would likely be more difficult in an arid climate (less than ten inches of precipitation per year).

3) Describe one environmental impact that the sulfur content of of the remaining coal and the tailings would have on the reclamation process and suggest a possible remedy.

4) Other than mining and reclamation, describe TWO environmental impacts of using coal for energy.

5) Explain why per capita coal consumption in the United States is likely to increase.