FutureCoalFuels.org Update
July 22, 2008
In this update:
· Sixteen local labor leaders urge support for Ohio CTL plant
· ABC News spotlights CTL fuels
· House Republican leader urges support for CTL bill
· India allocates coal mines for CTL production
· Become a CTL grassroots supporter
· Stay up-to-date on the latest news reports spotlighting CTL
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Sixteen local labor leaders urge support for Ohio CTL plant
Sixteen local labor leaders, representing various building, engineering and maintenance trade unions, recently called on their state and congressional delegations to support policies that will aid the construction of a coal-to-liquids (CTL) production plant in southeast Ohio. The labor leaders represent unions in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
In a June 9 letter, the unions called on state and federal lawmakers to embrace measures that will help accelerate the creation of a domestic CTL industry, with a specific focus on the economic, security and environmental benefits offered by a plant slated for construction on Wellsville, Ohio. The plant is being developed by Baard Energy and is unique in that it will produce CTL fuels using a bio-mass co-feed, a process the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory has said will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 46 percent compared to conventional diesel fuels.
“We know that America needs to break its growing dependence on foreign oil,” said the letter. “Fundamental principles such as national security, energy stability and independence dictate that America must address its energy crisis.” A failure to “act appropriately,” the letter said, risks creating a future marked by increased energy insecurity and a future in which America’s prosperity continues to deteriorate and remains captive to the whims of foreign energy cartels.”
“The signatories of this letter, representing 16 unions and thousands of workers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia are asking Congress and state officials to respond by implementing laws that will foster and commercialize an industry that utilizes our country’s most abundant domestic resources using the latest developments in technology to produce transportation fuels that will be as clean or cleaner than the high risk imported fuel we are dependent on,” said the letter.
Specifically, the letter urged support for laws that would permit the U.S. Department of Defense to enter into long-term contracts with CTL producers and called for a U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee program.
The letter stressed that fuels produced at the 53,000 barrel per day Baard plant, scheduled to come on line in 2011, “will provide our military with a secure source of fuel,” noting that the U.S. Air Force intends to begin annually purchasing 400 million barrels of alternative fuels beginning in 2016.
In addition, the letter highlighted the significant economic impact the plant would have on the local economy. “Right here in Ohio, up to 4,000 highly skilled construction workers, such as ironworkers, pipefitters, millwrights, and electricians, will be needed,” the labor leaders said, adding that more than “400 full-time good wage jobs will be created to operate this facility.”
The labor leaders called on state and federal lawmakers to “study the facts” and take the steps necessary “to support the commercialization of this new industry which will be built here in America and operated by American labor to help secure our nation. We should keep our energy dollars at home.”
A copy of the letter is available here.
ABC News spotlights CTL fuels
ABC World News Tonight this month aired a piece highlighting the energy security and environmental benefits offered by coal-to-liquid (CTL) fuels. The story detailed the experience of Sasol, the world’s leading CTL producer, which has been producing CTL fuels in South Africa for three decades. The piece also noted the Air Force’s strong interest in using CTL fuels and noted that America’s massive coal reserves make it an ideal marketplace for CTL fuels.
The story can be viewed here.
House Republican leader urges support for CTL bill
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) recently urged House members to support a petition being circulated by Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) that would force a House vote on bipartisan legislation designed to accelerate the domestic production of coal-to-liquid (CTL) transportation fuels.
Roskam’s petition is seeking a floor vote on the “Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Act” (H.R. 2208), introduced by House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.). The bill authorizes the secretary of energy to set ceiling and floor prices to protect domestic CTL developers from price manipulation by foreign energy cartels.
In a July 9 statement, Boehner said Roskam’s petition gives House members “the opportunity to support a common sense, bipartisan plan to promote clean alternative fuels technology that will help bring down the price of gasoline on behalf of American families and small businesses.” Boehner said a vote on H.R. 2208 would “send a clear signal that Congress is committed to utilizing clean American energy in an environmentally-safe way while reducing our nation’s costly dependence on unstable foreign sources of energy.”
Should Roskam’s petition garner the support of 218 House members, the House would be required to vote on the bill.
A copy of Boehner’s statement is available here.
India allocates coal mines for CTL production
The government of India last month announced that it will has open its vast coal reserves for use by coal-to-liquid (CTL) production plants in a bid to reduce India’s growing dependence on foreign oil. By 2025, India is expected to become the world’s third largest net-importer of oil ranking behind only the U.S. and China.
India’s federal Ministry of Coal issued a statement inviting interested in building CTL plants in India to apply to utilize captive coal mines containing up to 1.5 billion metric tons of reserves. Obtaining access to large coal reserves in India can be time consuming, as coal mines are controlled by the government and only state-run firms are allowed to commercially mine coal. Private firms, such as utilities and steel companies are permitted to mine coal only from mines allocated to them by the government.
A copy of the Ministry of Coal’s announcement is available here.
Become a CTL grassroots supporter
The Coal-to-Liquids Coalition is working to build a strong network of grassroots supporters willing to contact federal and state lawmakers to voice their support for measures meant to spur the domestic production of affordable, clean-burning CTL fuels. CTL grassroots supporters can include company employees, union members, retirees, their families, friends and others spread across the country who share a personal stake in the successful launch of a domestic CTL industry.
A robust CTL grassroots network can be an invaluable tool in helping to increase the bipartisan support for legislation designed to jumpstart the production of ultra-clean CTL fuels.
To become a grassroots supporter visit: capwiz.com.
Stay up-to-date on the latest news reports spotlighting CTL
Through its web site, www.futurecoalfuels.org, the Coal-to-Liquids Coalition collects news stories from across the country that feature the latest information on how coal-to-liquid fuels will help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and yield important environmental benefits. For access to recent CTL news items, please visit: futurecoalfuels.org.
As CTL fuel developments transpire, be sure to regularly visit FutureCoalFuels.org for the latest news and information and learn how you can help strengthen America’s energy future. |
