What They Are Saying About Clean Coal Technology

/PRNewswire/ -- In the lead up to a House floor vote on H.R. 2454 -- The American Energy and Security Act of 2009 -- much has been said about the importance of clean coal technology in an overall energy policy. Following is a sampling of those comments:

David G. Hawkins (Director of Climate Programs, NRDC): "Whatever the ideal vision of the future, coal will be there for decades at least." L.A. Times, June 21, 2009

President Obama: "I am a big proponent of clean-coal technology and I want us to move rapidly in developing those sequestration technologies that are required." Flathead Beacon, May 30, 2008

Gov. Haley Barbour (R-Mississippi): "We're leaders in clean coal technology. Mississippi power company, a subsidiary of southern company, has permitted right now an IGCC, that is a coal gasification plant where they would take Mississippi coal, turn it into gas, burn the gas, but then they would capture the carbon. And sequester by putting it in the ground not just to store it, but to use it to recover oil. Something we're already doing." CNBC, June 11, 2009

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana): "Coal is probably used more around the world than even oil and gas for the production of electricity ... So the strategy is to clean coal and to expand clean natural gas drilling ... and then promote alternative fuels." C-SPAN, June 10, 2009

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Virginia): "If carbon controls take effect before the capture and storage technologies are available, there could be a rapid switch from coal to other fuels that would be unbearable for our economy.

"To avoid these problems, we must protect the ability of electric utilities to continue coal use. In a very real sense, therefore, the technologies we will discuss today will be the enablers of a successful climate change program for the nation." Stated in the Congressional Record, March 6, 2007

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu on FutureGen: "This important step shows the administration's commitment to investing in carbon capture and sequestration technology as part of a comprehensive plan to create green jobs in the US while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Not only does this research have the potential to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions in the US, but it also could eventually result in lower emissions around the world." Platts, June 12, 2009

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page