Appalachia

Unlike the Appalachian area, coal is not a major part of the New Orleans economy. Yet, the city of New Orleans produced over 19 million tons of coal in 2012. All of Louisiana's coal is lignite and produced in the northern part of the state. In 2004, the state produced approximately 3.8 million tons of coal, worth about $75.8 million, ranking 19th in the nation's coal production. In 1812, lignite was discovered in Louisiana but was only used to provide fuel for steamboats and railroads. The market for coal was not in high demand, therefore Louisiana's oil and gas resource took over any interest in coal production.