The Economic Impact of the Decline of Coal in West Virginia

David Frum: The economic impact of coal's decline was broader and more severe than that small share would suggest. He says credit score declines translated into half a percentage point increase in mortgage interest rates. West Virginia has the second lowest life expectancy of any state, he says; its poverty rate is 15 percent. Frum: This underscores the need to insulate affected regions against harms coming from an essential energy transition.