36 Very little of the state's coal is exported to other countries. 35 Wyoming's coal is shipped to 28 states, and power plants in Texas, Missouri, Wyoming, and Illinois are the biggest users of Wyoming's coal. 34 Today, most of the mined coal in Wyoming is loaded onto unit trains, which can stretch up to a mile-and-a-half long with about 130 coal cars. 33 Coal mining began in the state in the mid-1860s when the Union Pacific Railroad arrived. 31, 32 Wyoming also produces some bituminous coal. Subbituminous coal has a lower heating value than other types of coal. 30 Nearly all of the coal mined in Wyoming is subbituminous, and the state accounts for almost nine-tenths of all U.S. 28, 29 Seams of low-sulfur subbituminous coal, some more than 100 feet thick, lie at shallow depths, allowing large-scale mechanized surface mining. Wyoming has 10 major coal fields and 8 of the 10 largest coal mines in the nation. annual coal-fired generation increased for the first time since 2014 as a result of significantly higher natural gas prices and relatively stable coal prices. 23, 24, 25 In 2021, however, Wyoming's annual coal production increased, as did many coal-producing states' output, after U.S. coal-fired power plants shut down and natural gas-fired and renewable-sourced electricity generation increased. 20, 21, 22 Wyoming's coal production declined by about 40% from 2015 to 2020, as U.S. 19 The state has led the nation in coal production since 1986, and accounts for two-fifths of all coal mined in the United States. recoverable coal reserves at producing mines. Wyoming has led the nation in coal production since 1986. 15, 16, 17 Wyoming's industrial sector accounts for about three-fifths of the total end-use sector energy consumed in the state, the transportation sector consumes about one-fifth, and the commercial and residential sectors each account for about one-tenth. 14 Although less than one-tenth of the energy produced in Wyoming is consumed there, the state's small population and energy-intensive fossil fuel production help make Wyoming first in the nation in per capita energy consumption and give it the second-most energy-intensive state economy, after Louisiana. 13 Mineral royalties, severance payments, and related taxes typically provide a substantial portion of state revenues. 12 Crude oil and natural gas production is spread across the state, and each fossil fuel is produced alone or together in 21 of Wyoming's 23 counties. 10, 11 Coal is mined primarily in the northeastern part of the state in the Powder River Basin. Mining and oil and natural gas extraction are major contributors to Wyoming's gross domestic product (GDP) and tax revenue. 8 National parks, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton, and national monuments like Devils Tower and Fossil Butte, as well as the Wind River and Bighorn mountain ranges, help make tourism one of Wyoming's major industries. The state's record high is 114☏ in the Big Horn Basin in 1900, and the record low is 66☏ below zero in Yellowstone National Park in 1933. The high elevations give Wyoming a cool climate overall, but temperatures can be extreme. The state's mountains, which form part of the Continental Divide, channel weather-and often fierce winds-across wide plains. Wyoming's lowest elevation is more than half a mile above sea level, and its mountain peaks are more than two miles high. It also produces more natural gas from federal leases than any other state and the second-highest amount of crude oil from onshore federal leases. 5 Wyoming is the nation's largest coal-producing state. 4 Wyoming produces 13 times more energy than it consumes, making it the second-biggest net energy supplier among the states after Texas. 1, 2, 3 Wyoming has the smallest population of any state, and only Alaska has fewer residents per square mile. Wyoming is a major producer of coal, crude oil, and natural gas-the fossil fuels that were created from the remains of life in the ancient seas that covered the state many millions of years ago. Wyoming produces 13 times more energy than it consumes, making it the second-biggest net energy supplier among the states.