Ikelic - Alliance Digital Repository

COAL
cient combustion and pollution control tech
nologies, more effective coal cleaning, and the
proper use of the complete spectrum of available
U.S. coals.
The United States has the world's strictest air
quality standards. Under previous clean air laws,
the U.S. has reduced its emissions of sulfur
dioxide to one-half the level of the European
Community, per unit of GDP. This performance
argues persuasively for the ability of industry to
use technology to attain progress in this area.
The need for more coal has been accompanied
by a significant increase in mining activity. But
because comprehensive and effective reclama
tion is a common and integral part of coal mining
operations, the resulting land impacts have been
positive, rather than negative, says NCA.
The coal industry supports the voluntary aspects
of President Clinton's program to reduce U.S.
greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the
year 2000. Many coal producers are participat
in such activities as the Department of
ing
Energy's Motor Challenge; the Environmental
Protection Agency's "Green Lights"
program; the
Coalbed Methane program; "Cool Communities";
and other federal energy conservation and ef
ficiency efforts.
To date, research has indicated that global
climate activity is proceeding much more slowly
than originally forecast, if at all. Study results
document that there is time to carefully analyze
environmental questions and develop the tech
nologies and procedures necessary to accom
modate goals identified research. by Economic
constraints, arbitrary ceilings or hastily con
ceived, expensive programs which negatively
impact economic growth are not consistent with
the goals of a sustainable future.
In many areas, the coal industry believes It has
already
one of the key
achieved-and will continue to expand--
components of sustainable
development: the simultaneous attainment of sig
nificant environmental improvement, a healthy
4-39
economy and adequate and secure energy sup
plies.
Coal and the Future
Many
of the objectives outlined in the federal
government's "Vision Statement on Sustainable
Development and Draft Principles"
balancing
hinge on
economic growth, environmental
protection and social equity. Coal has already
demonstrated it can be mined, transported and
used in a manner consistent with these goals.
Coal represents 95 percent of all U.S. fossil
energy
reserves and 33 percent of all present fos
sil fuel production. Because the U.S. coal
resource is sufficient to last more than 250 years
at current rates of use, it represents a vast source
of energy capable of meeting growing domestic
energy needs.
Significant and ongoing industry productivity
increases-- 104 percent over the past decade
alone-have enabled the price of coal to decline,
even in current dollars. The continual introduc
tion of new mining technologies in the years
ahead suggest this trend will continue, further
emphasizing
security
of supply.
U.S. coal's cost-effectiveness and
To allow the U.S. and the world to take full ad
vantage of coal's many advantages, the NCA
says that America's leaders must develop and
implement policies and research programs that
will encourage the full, cost-effective utilization of
coal's potential, in a manner compatible with the
nation's environmental objectives.
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IEA GREENHOUSE GAS PROGRAM
COMPUTES COST OF CARBON DIOXIDE
CAPTURE
In the second in a series of public summaries of
work carried out by the International Energy
Agency (IEA) Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme,
THE SYNTHETIC FUELS REPORT, JANUARY 1995