US Law: Liquefy Coal by 2010

 

We herein present excerpts from the US CODE: Title 42.13331:

--------------

(a) Establishment

The Secretary shall, in accordance with section  13541 and 13542 of this title, conduct programs for research, development, demonstration, and commercial application on coal-based technologies. Such research, development, demonstration, and commercial application programs shall include the programs established under this part, and shall have the goals and objectives of— ...

 

(4) achieving the cost competitive conversion of coal into energy forms usable in the transportation sector;

(5) demonstrating the conversion of coal to synthetic gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels;

(6) demonstrating, in cooperation with other Federal and State agencies, the use of coal-derived fuels in mobile equipment, with opportunities for industrial cost sharing participation;

(7) ensuring the timely commercial application of cost-effective technologies or energy production processes or systems utilizing coal which achieve—

(8) ensuring the availability for commercial use of such technologies by the year 2010.

 

------------

 

In other words, the Secretary of Energy is to ensure that we will have  "such technologies", for the efficient "conversion of coal to synthetic ... liquid ... fuels" available to us "by the year 2010".

 

The deadline is almost upon us.

 

Will Secretary Chu comply?

 

If not, who will enforce the law, and how might his compliance be compelled?