The chairman of the National Mining Association today urged coal
producers to back a comprehensive climate change solution based on
funding for the technology and research needed to greenhouse gas
emission.
In a speech Thursday to the West Virginia Coal Association, James F.
Roberts, President and CEO of Foundation Coal reminded U.S.
presidential candidate that "the road to the White house travels
through coal country. Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West
Virginia-individually or collectively-likely will determine who will
next occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."
Roberts warned that a chill is in the air for the U.S. coal mining
industry, "as we face challenges to both the extraction and use of coal
that could seriously dampen, if not threaten, coal's future."
The chairman of the National Mining Association today called for support of legislation reducing carbon emissions through technology rather than more punitive bills that threaten coal’s future.
Mineweb - London,England,UK
Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Thursday , 10 Jan 2008
RENO, NV - The chairman of the National Mining Association today urged coal producers to back a comprehensive climate change solution based on funding for the technology and research needed to greenhouse gas emission.
In a speech Thursday to the West Virginia Coal Association, James F. Roberts, President and CEO of Foundation Coal reminded U.S. presidential candidate that "the road to the White house travels through coal country. Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia-individually or collectively-likely will determine who will next occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."
Roberts warned that a chill is in the air for the U.S. coal mining industry, "as we face challenges to both the extraction and use of coal that could seriously dampen, if not threaten, coal's future."
SAFETY
As Congress considers additional mine safety legislation, Roberts cautioned that "one has to question the purpose of proposals now gaining currency that would more likely reduce production and employment, than reduce injuries and fatalities." For instance, proposed new seal and dust concentration standards "would impose one-size-fits all standards in an attempt to create a hypothetically risk-free environment industry-wide."
Roberts called it an "unsustainable scenario that ignores technical and scientific findings or other risk management options. The effect, intended or not, would be to destroy much of Eastern underground coal mining and, with it, the jobs, revenues and energy security it supports."
"We in the industry are not concerned about the costs to improve safety. We are concerned that safety is being measured only on the basis of increasing costs," Roberts declared.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Roberts urged the coal mining industry to become more proactive regarding the political challenge of climate change. ‘Understanding that climate change legislation is virtually inevitable, we must do all we can to make sure such legislation is sensible in recognizing the inevitable role coal will play in the world's energy future and, thus, the need to develop and deploy technologies that will allow coal to be used in a climate friendly way."
"Coal can meet our nation's the world's energy needs without harm to the environment if we commit ourselves to this technology path," he added. "In point of fact, there is no other path that will get the job done."
Roberts asserted that coal is going to remain the fuel of choice in many developing economies including China. "Simply reducing the use of coal in the United States, or even its use in the developed world, is not going to address concerns about global climate change," he said, adding that the answer can be found in "developing advanced clean coal technologies, including carbon capture and sequestration, that will allow for the continued use of coal, but in ways that are climate friendly."
"For those of us in the coal industry, our quarrel is not with the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions," Robert said. "Our quarrel is with proposals that ignore the technology pathway that must precede mandatory reductions and avoid punitive economic consequences."
Roberts suggested that those who support aggressive climate legislation do not want a bill passed by Congress until after the 2008 presidential elections. "Those groups, some believe, are willing to roll the dice on the likelihood that a new president will be a strong proponent of their views than the Bush Administration and that the new Congress will be of like mind."
Meanwhile, others, including a number of coal-based utilities, believe they should cut a deal with Congress while President George Bush still can veto the legislation in the event coal companies and energy consumers lose control of the legislation, he suggested. "They are betting that even with more advocates of strong climate legislation in the White House and in Congress in 2009, all would be reluctant to revisit climate legislation anytime soon if a bill were passed and signed into law.
Nevertheless, Roberts declared he was optimistic because "there is widespread support among all energy producers, their customers and the broad business community on two basic propositions."
"First, that any climate legislation must be preceded by and synchronized with an accelerated program of research, development and commercial deployment of the technologies that will be needed to manage agreement," he explained. "Second, there's broad agreement that the U.S. cannot and should not go it alone."
"NMA believes it is critically important that policymakers not put the cart of mandatory controls before the technology horse, and we expect to see legislation advancing a technology solution for carbon management introduced this year," Roberts declared. "I believe that we should actively support legislation that offers a technology solution to climate change."
Roberts urged the domestic mining industry to take a serious look at its position on comprehensive climate legislation, adding that time is not "on our side in this debate."
"We need to become more proactive, more committed, more aggressive in pushing the technology pathway. But success here may require that we address more than just the technology pathway. If that be the case, we need to broaden our perspective and do what is necessary to put this issue to bed sooner rather than later."
"Our fate is in our hands," Roberts concluded. "If we act decisively and do the right things, we optimists will carry the day."
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