Historical, Current and Future Coal Use Within the U.S. and the Price We Pay

In the News

The Supreme Court finally acted upon the findings of science and laid down heavy pressure for the Environmental Protection Agency EPA to start enforcing lower emissions from cars. On April 2, 2007, the ruling from Massachusetts v. EPA reiterates that carbon dioxide pollutants are a violation of the Clean Air Act and the EPA must act accordingly.
(Source: http://www.nrdc.org/media/2007/070402.asp)

Within 24 hours after the Supreme Court's ruling, the U.S. secretary of Energy (Samuel W. Bodman) signed a Record of Decision that opens the door for a new coal-fired power plant in Orlando Florida. Under the Administration's Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI), taxpayer's money will support half the costs for a $569 million dollar advanced coal-combusted facility. According to the Record of Decision (Department of Energy 2007), the power plant will gasify over a million tons of Wyoming coal each year. According to the same document, the facility will add 1.8 million tons of carbon dioxide, 128 tons of volatile organic carbons and many other health hazards to the atmosphere and surrounding environment.

Despite the recent judicial ruling, the Bush Administrations CCPI and their commitment for utilizing coal-combustion technology is a slap in the face for scientists and concerned citizens. As the evidence continues to stack linking increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and global warming, the question remains when the American people will stand up and denounce the illogical actions of Capital Hill and its energy policies. (Source: (http://www.energy.gov/news/4924.htm).

Website by Rob Leisure rmleisur@eagle.fgcu.edu

Abstract edited by Adam M. Dubbin M.Sc.

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Updated on April 04, 2007

Clean technology or not, the future of Florida energy should not be coal

Rob Leisure

Abstract

The abundance of coal reserves within the United States provides a wealthly source of energy reserves. 'Black gold' has been been a vital asset to the economic and political success of the United States over the past two centuries, and it appears that coal will help lay the foundation for our future as well. Conflicts in the Middle East, as well as other parts of the globe- coupled with impending declines in oil and gas reserves - has amped interest in coal combustion technologies.

There are vast reserves of the fossil fuel in the Appalachian and northern Rocky Mountains, and strip-mining allows quick and easy extraction; thus, it has been economically dubbed a 'cheap' energy source. To meet the rising energy demands of the future, there are plans to build over a hundred coal-fired power plants throughout the U.S., with almost a dozen of those here in Florida. Using the latest 'clean coal' technologies, these facilities will help provide the power necessary to accomodate the explosive urban growth of southwest Florida.

Despite the hype surrounding alternative technologies, coal remains firmly implanted in the infrastrucutre of the United States energy regime, which poses many negative consequences. Thus, investing in 'clean coal' energies here in Florida, as well as the rest of the United States, is gamble with our most precious resource - our natural environment .