Titles are hard to come up with

A quick perusal of wikipedia reveals that by most metrics, West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the nation. It has the third lowest per capita income (ahead of Arkansas and Mississippi) and the lowest median household income. Only 15.3% of West Virginians have a bachelor's degree, which is the lowest percentage in the country. Maybe it should go without saying, but clearly any energy policy must be cognizant of the regional economic situation. Since coal is the most abundant natural resource that West Virginia has to offer, to what extent are coal and coal mining practices responsible for the situation? How will the West Virginian economy change as America's energy policy begins to (ostensibly) shift away from coal? I'm interested in this question from both the macro and the micro perspectives - how might the state's economy as a whole change, and what do these changes mean for individuals?

I think the latter is the most meaningful insight that I hope to gain from the trip. I can always read about Appalachia's economy in the newspaper, but I think seeing firsthand the impact on the people will be valuable. I'm also looking forward to gaining a variety of perspectives (industry, government, civilian) on the problem of energy development. I think sometimes Stanford can be a bit insulated from contrary viewpoints, and I hope this trip will paint a more accurate picture of the spectrum of differing opinions.