This news has us a little torn.  According to a report released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United States now burns more natural gas in energy production than it does coal.  While that’s good for West Virginia, it’s also bad for West Virginia.  A huge portion of West Virginia’s economy depends on coal, and has for generations.  West Virginia’s economy is being boosted by natural gas development, and will for decades.  It’s probable that natural gas will replace coal, and that West Virginia’s economy will do well on natural gas, but the transition is going to be full of heartache and misery for some folks.  The southern counties especially are going to be hard hit since there’s not as much natural gas development going on down there, and won’t be for the near future.