Perry County, KY

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13,000 Layoffs In The Coal Industry In Eastern Kentucky Since 2011

Source:

(Bob Woods, “This Kentucky Coal Town Is Fighting For Survival Long After The War On Coal Is Over,” CNBC, 3/29/18)

Lowest Number Of Coal Jobs In 118 Years

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In 2016, Kentucky Coal Jobs Hit Their Lowest Point In 118 Years After “More Than Half Of The Coal Jobs In Eastern Kentucky Disappeared In Recent Years.” (Bill Estep, “Coal Jobs In Kentucky Fall To Lowest Level In 118 Years,” Lexington Herald-Leader, 5/2/16)

Exacerbating The Opioid Crisis

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“The Collapse Of The Coal Industry … Exacerbated The Burgeoning Opioid Crisis In The Region.” (Parija Kavilanz, “In A Small Kentucky Coal Town, Joblessness Leads To A Health Crisis,” CNN Money, 11/8/17)

And Increased Illness

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“The Results Stunned Doctors: 22% Of The 1,631 Patients (To Date) Tested Positive For Active Hepatitis C Virus.” (Parija Kavilanz, “In A Small Kentucky Coal Town, Joblessness Leads To A Health Crisis,” CNN Money, 11/8/17)

Even In Newborn Babies

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In 2017, Thirteen Percent Of The Babies Born At The Hazard Medical Center “Were Exposed To Opiate Drugs In The Womb.” (Parija Kavilanz, “In A Small Kentucky Coal Town, Joblessness Leads To A Health Crisis,” CNN Money, 11/8/17)

Unemployment Is Nearly Twice The National Average

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The Unemployment Rate In Perry County Is 6.5. Percent.
The National Unemployment Rate Is 3.7 Percent. (“Labor Force Statistics,” Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 11/30/18)

The Median Income In Perry County Is Nearly Half That Of The United States

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The Median Household Income In Perry County Is $31,578.
The Median Household Income In The United States Is $61,372. (“Perry County, Kentucky,” U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 10/3/18; “Median Household Income,” U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 10/3/18)

Thirty Percent Of Perry County Residents Live In Poverty

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(“Perry County, Kentucky,” U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 10/3/18)

Eastern Kentucky Schools Could Lose Up To $1 Million In Funding

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(Morgan Watkins, “Some Kentucky School Districts May Go Broke Before Year Ends,” The Courier-Journal, 2/7/18)

Mike Bloomberg Has Given Over $100 Million To The Sierra Club To Shut Down Coal

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(James Bruggers, “New York City Billionaires Are Battling Over Coal. And Kentucky Is Caught In The Middle,” The Courier-Journal, 10/13/17)

Sierra Club Is Determined To Shut Down Coal Mines

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(Michael Grunwald, “Inside The War On Coal,” Politico, 5/26/15)

A Bank Founded By Tom Steyer Offers A Sierra Club Credit Card Using His Corporations To Raise Money For Their Efforts.

Source:

(The Sierra Club, “New Credit Card Supports the Sierra Club’s Efforts to Enjoy, Explore and Protect the Planet,” Press Release, 5/22/13)