Coal industry 'at a crossroads'May 21 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Allie Robinson Bristol Herald Courier, Va.
Coal has a bright future, but industry leaders must push hard to get there. That was the message Monday morning during the first session of the Eastern Coal Council's annual conference, held in Kingsport. "Our industry is at a crossroads," said Jack Richardson, chairman of the coal council and vice president of the Central Appalachia division of CONSOL Energy, during his opening remarks. "There's a bright future for coal, but we must push forward. We produce the stuff the world wants and it needs." U.S. Rep Phil Roe, R-1st, said the country needs to look at all forms of energy production as a viable option, including coal, which has diminished in domestic use thanks to the rise of natural gas and increased regulations. "The policy of this administration [the Obama administration] is ABC -- anything but coal," he said. His sentiments were echoed throughout the morning. "We need an all-of-the-above energy plan, not just an all-above-except-what's-under-your-feet," plan, said U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore-Capito, R-2nd, of West Virginia. "The bright spots for coal are the export markets, they're way up ... [but] I want to power America with American coal. We've just got to keep moving forward in a positive way and keep coal viable." Virginia Sen. Phillip Puckett, D-Lebanon, said that every job in the coal industry multi-plies out in terms of the support of the industry, people hired in the other jobs that keep miners going, like restaurants and supply stores. "This industry is playing an important part in the energy needs across the country," he said. "One of the key threats is the threat against coal. You cannot replace 40 percent of energy capacity with something besides coal because we don't have it. Right now, if you shut down coal, we cannot defend our national interests without a strong energy policy that includes coal." Kelley Goes, state director for U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said people in the room at the coal council -- including mining executives, employees of equipment manufactur-ers and state and local mining officials -- understand coal from a personal level. "I grew up where coal put a roof over my head, food on my table and sent me to school," she said. "There are people we need to educate as to the role of coal. ... What they don't understand is the economic impact it has on a little state like West Virginia." The coal conference continues today. A clean coal technologies session is planned as well as a discussion of Tennessee's energy outlook by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. arobinson@bristolnews.com 276-791-5459 http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=28684068 |