While employment and wage statistics might show Maryland?s coal and aggregate industries are growing, significant hurdles stand in the way of both mining sectors? future expansion.

The state?s coal mining industry, focused in Western Maryland, is shrinking in terms of employment and production, said Adrienne Ottaviani, executive director of the Maryland Coal Association. The industry is working to promote the use of “clean coal” technology and change the opinion that all coal mining and burning has adverse environmental effects.