Dec 26 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Kathy Still Bristol Herald Courier, Va.

The latest figures from the federal Energy Information Administration shows that Virginia coal production this year is down by nearly 4.4 percent when compared with 2006 figures.

However, Virginia, 10th in the nation in terms of coal production, had one of the best production records when compared with neighboring Central Appalachia region states whose coal production dipped lower than Virginia's.

Virginia's 268 underground and surface mines produced 29.5 million tons of coal in 2006, according to the EIA. Virginia produced 31.7 million tons in 2006, according to figures in Virginia's Energy Plan, a guideline for the state's energy use, conservation and production for the next decade.

Both the EIA and Virginia's Energy Plan cite lower-cost coal in the western United States as reasons for the steady decline in production.

According to the EIA, coal production in the Central Appalachia region dropped by 5.5 million tons to record the fifth consecutive yearly production dip.

The EIA reports that spot prices for coal per ton as of Dec. 14, at $57.70 per ton for coal produced in the Central Appalachia region, including Virginia. In contrast, a ton of coal harvested from surface mines in western states such as Wyoming cost just $11.50 per ton.

According to Virginia's Energy Plan, the high costs of mining the state's remaining thin coal seams is partly to blame for the production decrease in Central Appalachia in general. Coal mined from the less-expensive and less-labor-intensive surface mines in the west contribute to the lower costs when coal hits the market, the report states.

Locally, Wise and Buchanan counties are tops in coal production, according to the latest EIA figures, which covers 2006. Dickenson County, which sits squeezed between Wise and Buchanan counties, is third.

Buchanan County has 23 underground mines that produce 7.1 million tons of coal last year. Buchanan County also has 15 surface mines that harvest 3 million tons of coal.

Wise County's 29 underground mines brought out 7.3 million tons of coal and its 25 surface mines generated 6.5 million tons of coal.

Dickenson County has 12 underground coal mines that produced 2 million tons of coal at last count. The county's four surface mines sheared 529,000 tons of coal over the past year.

Tazewell County ranked fourth in Virginia in coal production last year as the EIA's latest figures indicate the county's five underground miles produced 1.2 million tons of coal while its two strip mines produced 136,000 tons of coal.

Neighboring Russell County's five underground mines harvested 388,000 tons of coal as its three surface mines recorded production of 593,000 tons.

The next EIA report on production will be released in September and will include updated figures for 2007.

kstill@bristolnews.com -- (276) 679-1338