In its heyday, the coal industry was the driving force behind rural communities across the nation. But as the fossil fuel’s popularity dwindles, so do the livelihoods of the towns dependent on it.
Look no further than the mining towns in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. In areas like these, the coal industry touches nearly every aspect of the towns’ economies. As a result, when the plants announce layoffs or closures, they leave behind a broken and potentially impoverished community.
