The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee staff is inviting 25 groups to present and discuss their proposed solutions to the challenge of developing and using coal in an environmentally-friendly manner to help meet the growing U.S. demand for electricity. This half-day bipartisan conference is scheduled for Thursday, March 10, at 2 p.m. in Dirksen 106. The committee announced the conference earlier this month and invited the public to submit written proposals that address various aspects of the continued use of coal, including the environmental impact of various coal extraction, the financial and technical challenges associated with new clean coal combustion technologies, transportation and transmission constraints and concerns over emissions of sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, mercury and carbon dioxide. The committee received more than 50 proposals from the public, utilities, environmental organizations, universities, think tanks and state and federal agencies. Republican and Democrat policy staff reviewed the proposals and selected 25 groups to present 28 proposals for discussion at the conference. (Three of the groups will present more than one proposal.) The invitees will each have two minutes to introduce their proposals and make their main points. The remaining time will be used to debate proposals and field questions. The public and media are invited to attend. The participants and the topics they will address are below. The list is subject to change in the event of cancellation. Representatives from some federal agencies not included as participants may be on hand to provide technical support and answer background questions. This list of participants and conference guidelines can be found on the committee website at: www.energy.senate.gov.
1. Coal Consumption: What are the likely future scenarios for the role of coal-fired generation in the U.S.? Participants: Consol Edison Electric Institute Energy Information Administration National Commission on Energy Policy National Mining Association Natural Resources Defense Council State of Illinois 2. Environmental: What are the environmental and regulatory challenges associated with the future use of coal for power generation? Participants: Clean Energy Systems Columbia University Florida Municipal Electric Association Kennecott Interstate Mining Compact Commission National Commission on Energy Policy Natural Resources Defense Council Western Organization of Resource Councils 3. Financial and Technological Improvements: What technological improvements in coal use are most important to pursue? What financial and/or regulatory mechanisms are necessary to bring these technological improvements to market? Participants: Coal Based Generation Stakeholders Group Coal Utilization Research Council Electric Power Research Institute General Electric National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners William Rosenburg – Harvard University 4. Transportation: What improvements in existing transportation or transmission infrastructure are needed to improve the use of coal for power generation? Participants: American Association of Railroads Consumers United for Rail Equity Edison Electric Institute Missouri River Energy Services National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Puget Sound Energy Tennessee Valley Authority