An old saying is that what goes up must come down, making it worth a wish for the price of gasoline to go down in the Mountain State and across the country.

But not necessarily so of soaring coal prices in the energy market at home and abroad. A difference is that the price of gas at the pump pinches the consumer on the spot - federal, state taxes and all.

The pinch comes later, nonetheless, for electricity and other benefits from coal, which generates about half of the nation's electric power. No mistake about it, the price of energy is part of the rising cost of living.

Meanwhile, the coal industry booms amid environmental concerns and criticisms over global warming and mountaintop removal. The latter keeps the teeth of critics on edge and litigation on fire over buried streams and disfigured land.

Yet most West Virginia coal is produced by underground mines as is the case of most coal production in the nation, according to government figures. That's so, despite the dominance of surface mining in Wyoming, the nation's No. 1 coal producer followed next by West Virginia.

The present boom comes in a large measure from international demand for metallurgical coal mined in Central Appalachia and used to make steel, particularly in Europe and South America.

Met coal demand figures big in expansion plans recently announced by Alpha Natural Resources, Massey Energy and other coal companies.

Massey and Alpha also have announced incentive pay and benefit programs to attract new miners and maintain experienced miners in a tight labor market.

But not necessarily so of soaring coal prices in the energy market at home and abroad. A difference is that the price of gas at the pump pinches the consumer on the spot - federal, state taxes and all.

The pinch comes later, nonetheless, for electricity and other benefits from coal, which generates about half of the nation's electric power. No mistake about it, the price of energy is part of the rising cost of living.

Meanwhile, the coal industry booms amid environmental concerns and criticisms over global warming and mountaintop removal. The latter keeps the teeth of critics on edge and litigation on fire over buried streams and disfigured land.

Yet most West Virginia coal is produced by underground mines as is the case of most coal production in the nation, according to government figures. That's so, despite the dominance of surface mining in Wyoming, the nation's No. 1 coal producer followed next by West Virginia.

The present boom comes in a large measure from international demand for metallurgical coal mined in Central Appalachia and used to make steel, particularly in Europe and South America.

Met coal demand figures big in expansion plans recently announced by Alpha Natural Resources, Massey Energy and other coal companies.

Massey and Alpha also have announced incentive pay and benefit programs to attract new miners and maintain experienced miners in a tight labor market.

These incentive programs by nonunion companies have raised hackles in United Mine Workers union. The UMW has filed a couple of lawsuits challenging the legitimacy of individual contracts to restrict a worker to a definite area.

What's more, the incentive contracts struck another raw nerve in the union over mountaintop removal mining. A UMW official suggested that the union would consider talking with citizen groups who oppose mountaintop mining.

UMW President Cecil Roberts quickly knocked down the suggestion and its apparently veiled threat to surface mining jobs on top of the mountain or anywhere else in the coalfields.

"We have and will continue to do our utmost to protect, defend and improve the jobs of those who work at all coal operations, including surface operations," Roberts said. "Let there be no mistake, no misunderstanding of that."

Government estimates put the number of miners in the nation around 83,000, which includes about 47,500 in underground mines. West Virginia leads in the number of underground mines.

The National Mining Association estimates that the industry needs 50,000 new miners to replace retirees and support growth envisioned in the future.

From practically every indication, the industry is digging in for the long haul down the road in the global energy market. It, too, feels the pinch of the rising price of gas or diesel. But a coal company's pocket is bigger and deeper than the pocket of most consumers.

Peeks is a former Gazette business/labor editor.