Illinois coal output rose last year against the tide of shrinking U.S. production, as global demand for Illinois coal soared. The report and its recommendations support Governor Quinn’s five-year-plan to double exports by 2014 and to continue providing an export-friendly business climate in Illinois. “Illinois coal is in high demand overseas and we have the resources and infrastructure to take advantage of this opportunity for economic growth, Governor Quinn said. —Our rail lines and river ports, which we continue to improve under the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program, give us a unique export advantage over other states in the region.”Illinois exported a record 13 million tons of coal in 2012, a five-fold increase from 2.5 million tons in 2010, according to Realizing Illinois’ Coal Export Potential, a report conducted by Energy Ventures Analysis Inc. for the Illinois Office of Coal Development. Thanks in part to the rivers and railroads that allow Illinois coal to cost-effectively reach export markets, Illinois’ coal production is on the rise while U.S. coal production is falling according to the Energy Ventures report. Content provided by Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.