This volume, originally published in 1984, analyzes the impact of the 1973-74 oil price increases on the Appalachian coal industry in the USA, which would otherwise have suffered large output reductions as a result of sulfur emission restrictions. Although focussed on a particular geographical region and timeframe, this book has enduring relevance as it analyzes and discusses many of the issues which are still facing the ailing coal mining industries both in the USA and globally: the advent of new energy forms, increased competition from cheaper sources, strict pollution legislation and the impact that all of these issues have on productivity and employment.