Reports from University of Delaware Describe Recent Advances in Environmental and Resource Economics (Environmental Liability, Insurance, and Market Structure In Coal Mining): Economics – Environmental and Resource Economics

2026 JUL 06 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Economics - Environmental and Resource Economics have been published. According to news reporting originating from Newark, Delaware, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “This study examines a Pennsylvania policy reform that increased bonded liability for coal mines with reclamation obligations. A 2001 change for surface mines was largely priced into existing reclamation insurance mechanisms, which exist to prevent mines from shirking their liabilities.”

Financial support for this research came from Kenneth C. Griffin Applied Economics Incubator fund at the University of Chicago.

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of Delaware, “We find that the changes increased mine-level insured liability and idling (approximate to 15% for median mines), led to declines in production, and did not change environmental performance directly for treated mines. However, we do find that these effects were driven largely by higher polluting mines.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Major results are robust to both comparing bituminous and anthracite mines within Pennsylvania as well as bituminous mines between Pennsylvania and Virginia.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Environmental Liability, Insurance, and Market Structure In Coal Mining. Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, 2026;13(4):1115-1151. Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists can be contacted at: Univ Chicago Press, 1427 E 60TH St, Chicago, IL 60637-2954, USA.

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Tom Eisenberg, University of Delaware, Lerner Business Sch, Purnell Hall, Newark, DE 19716, United States.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1086/740953. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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