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Power Lines: The Human Costs of American Energy in Transition
On American energy and its persisting power to destroy.
In the United States, the promise of a green-energy future is complicated by its realities. The country’s legacy energy systems are decrepit; the rollout of new technologies is unequal and piecemeal; households find themselves increasingly without reliable or affordable access; and Americans are excluded from the decisions that shape their energy futures. Having power in America has become an exercise in race, class, and wealth—in more ways than one.
Power Lines is a sweeping portrait of American energy in the twenty-first century, rendered in terms of its increasing—and inevitable—human costs. Coal miners in West Virginia lose their livelihoods as energy markets change; historically marginalized households cannot easily access new technologies; children in “sacrifice zones” adjacent to mineral-mining sites suffer health problems and limited resources; and cities and towns are burdened from the production of alternative energies.
Sanya Carley and David Konisky show current challenges and an uncertain future of America’s greatest policy imperative. The result is not only sobering but also essential for planning and pursuing a clean-energy transition that improves on the errors of the past.
In the United States, the promise of a green-energy future is complicated by its realities. The country’s legacy energy systems are decrepit; the rollout of new technologies is unequal and piecemeal; households find themselves increasingly without reliable or affordable access; and Americans are excluded from the decisions that shape their energy futures. Having power in America has become an exercise in race, class, and wealth—in more ways than one.
Power Lines is a sweeping portrait of American energy in the twenty-first century, rendered in terms of its increasing—and inevitable—human costs. Coal miners in West Virginia lose their livelihoods as energy markets change; historically marginalized households cannot easily access new technologies; children in “sacrifice zones” adjacent to mineral-mining sites suffer health problems and limited resources; and cities and towns are burdened from the production of alternative energies.
Sanya Carley and David Konisky show current challenges and an uncertain future of America’s greatest policy imperative. The result is not only sobering but also essential for planning and pursuing a clean-energy transition that improves on the errors of the past.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published October 13, 2025
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58 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 2, 2025
Book Review: Power Lines: The Human Costs of American Energy in Transition by Sanya Carley & David Konisky
Rating: 4.7/5
Carley and Konisky’s Power Lines is a searing yet meticulously researched exposé of the inequities embedded in America’s energy transition. Blending policy analysis with human narratives, the book forces readers to confront the uncomfortable truth that decarbonization—while environmentally urgent—often replicates the injustices of fossil fuel economies.
Strengths and Intellectual Impact
The authors’ interdisciplinary approach (Carley’s urban planning expertise and Konisky’s environmental policy background) shines in chapters like “Sacrifice Zones” and “Life Without Energy.” Their case study of Appalachian coal communities, like the one I grew up in—where job losses from market shifts collide with environmental degradation—left me equal parts furious and heartbroken. The data on pediatric asthma rates near mining sites (presented without sensationalism) was particularly gut-wrenching. I think about how many of my health issues and those of my family and friends were the result of our living in proximity to these sites.
“Where New Technologies Don’t Go” challenged my assumptions about renewable energy equity. The authors reveal how rooftop solar and EV charging infrastructure disproportionately benefit affluent households, leaving marginalized communities reliant on aging grids. Their term “green gentrification”—where eco-upgrades price out low-income residents—will linger in my mind long after reading.
Constructive Criticism
-Policy Prescriptions: While the diagnosis is flawless, the final chapter’s solutions feel abbreviated. A deeper dive into models like United Power’s apprenticeship programs could have strengthened the roadmap for justice.
-Geographic Breadth: Focus leans heavily on Appalachia and the Southwest. More Northeast/Great Lakes examples (e.g., Rust Belt solar-panel manufacturing) would bolster national relevance.
-Narrative Rhythm: Occasional data-dense sections (e.g., utility bill affordability metrics) disrupt the flow; infographics could enhance accessibility.
Summary Takeaways:
- The Silent Spring of energy justice—Carley and Konisky expose how ‘clean energy’ still dirties lives.
- Forget carbon footprints: This book measures the human cost of every kilowatt-hour.
- A masterclass in policy storytelling—where West Virginia miners and Phoenix single moms rewrite the energy transition narrative.
Personal Reactions
The authors’ account of how “backyard ballots” (NIMBYism against transmission lines) stall renewable projects made me reconsider my own neighborhood’s opposition to a substation upgrade. Their portrayal of Navajo Nation households without electricity—just miles from Phoenix’s solar farms—haunted me .
Thank you to the University of Chicago Press and Edelweiss for the review copy. This vital work earns a 4.7/5, docking slightly for its compressed conclusion. As Carley and Konisky warn: “An unjust transition isn’t a transition—it’s displacement with a green veneer.”
Key Academic Contributions
- Justice-Centered Framework: Redefines energy transition success not by megawatts but by reparative infrastructure (e.g., job retraining tied to grid upgrades).
- Longitudinal Analysis: Traces how fossil fuel injustices (e.g., mining towns) morph into renewable-era inequities (e.g., lithium extraction burdens).
- Policy-Praxis Bridge: Highlights actionable models like community energy co-ops and just transition labor clauses.
For curriculum use: Pair with Superpower (Gold) on transmission-line politics or EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2025 for techno-economic context.
Why This Matters Now
With 60% of U.S. grid infrastructure needing replacement by 2030, Power Lines is a moral compass for policymakers. Its lessons resonate globally—from Germany’s Energiewende to South Africa’s coal phaseouts. As Dr. White-Newsome notes in the foreword: “This book doesn’t just diagnose wounds; it hands readers the tools to stitch them.”.
Rating: 4.7/5
Carley and Konisky’s Power Lines is a searing yet meticulously researched exposé of the inequities embedded in America’s energy transition. Blending policy analysis with human narratives, the book forces readers to confront the uncomfortable truth that decarbonization—while environmentally urgent—often replicates the injustices of fossil fuel economies.
Strengths and Intellectual Impact
The authors’ interdisciplinary approach (Carley’s urban planning expertise and Konisky’s environmental policy background) shines in chapters like “Sacrifice Zones” and “Life Without Energy.” Their case study of Appalachian coal communities, like the one I grew up in—where job losses from market shifts collide with environmental degradation—left me equal parts furious and heartbroken. The data on pediatric asthma rates near mining sites (presented without sensationalism) was particularly gut-wrenching. I think about how many of my health issues and those of my family and friends were the result of our living in proximity to these sites.
“Where New Technologies Don’t Go” challenged my assumptions about renewable energy equity. The authors reveal how rooftop solar and EV charging infrastructure disproportionately benefit affluent households, leaving marginalized communities reliant on aging grids. Their term “green gentrification”—where eco-upgrades price out low-income residents—will linger in my mind long after reading.
Constructive Criticism
-Policy Prescriptions: While the diagnosis is flawless, the final chapter’s solutions feel abbreviated. A deeper dive into models like United Power’s apprenticeship programs could have strengthened the roadmap for justice.
-Geographic Breadth: Focus leans heavily on Appalachia and the Southwest. More Northeast/Great Lakes examples (e.g., Rust Belt solar-panel manufacturing) would bolster national relevance.
-Narrative Rhythm: Occasional data-dense sections (e.g., utility bill affordability metrics) disrupt the flow; infographics could enhance accessibility.
Summary Takeaways:
- The Silent Spring of energy justice—Carley and Konisky expose how ‘clean energy’ still dirties lives.
- Forget carbon footprints: This book measures the human cost of every kilowatt-hour.
- A masterclass in policy storytelling—where West Virginia miners and Phoenix single moms rewrite the energy transition narrative.
Personal Reactions
The authors’ account of how “backyard ballots” (NIMBYism against transmission lines) stall renewable projects made me reconsider my own neighborhood’s opposition to a substation upgrade. Their portrayal of Navajo Nation households without electricity—just miles from Phoenix’s solar farms—haunted me .
Thank you to the University of Chicago Press and Edelweiss for the review copy. This vital work earns a 4.7/5, docking slightly for its compressed conclusion. As Carley and Konisky warn: “An unjust transition isn’t a transition—it’s displacement with a green veneer.”
Key Academic Contributions
- Justice-Centered Framework: Redefines energy transition success not by megawatts but by reparative infrastructure (e.g., job retraining tied to grid upgrades).
- Longitudinal Analysis: Traces how fossil fuel injustices (e.g., mining towns) morph into renewable-era inequities (e.g., lithium extraction burdens).
- Policy-Praxis Bridge: Highlights actionable models like community energy co-ops and just transition labor clauses.
For curriculum use: Pair with Superpower (Gold) on transmission-line politics or EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2025 for techno-economic context.
Why This Matters Now
With 60% of U.S. grid infrastructure needing replacement by 2030, Power Lines is a moral compass for policymakers. Its lessons resonate globally—from Germany’s Energiewende to South Africa’s coal phaseouts. As Dr. White-Newsome notes in the foreword: “This book doesn’t just diagnose wounds; it hands readers the tools to stitch them.”.
November 8, 2025
Informative read that made me think a lot about energy justice and the hidden costs associated with the energy transition.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews