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Today’s coal industry is subject to increasing scrutiny and unprecedented demands from legislators, environmental groups, shareholders and the general public. Rapidly changing legislative realities have even the most seasoned Beltway insiders struggling to keep up. Business resources are being stretched thin to address safety, environmental compliance, permitting, technology development, and infrastructure needs. Operations and construction costs are rising in response to unprecedented global demand for labor, steel, petroleum products and engineering services. Supply dynamics are shifting with emerging markets for U.S. exports and the increasing use of scrubbers.
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about a broad spectrum of the industry’s most pressing issues, including legislative and regulatory changes and how these factors interact to affect decisions regarding mine and power plant development, fuel sourcing and strategic planning.
Wanted! Candidates for 2010 ACC Board of Directors
Nominations are being accepted for the 2010 Board of Directors. Nominations must be received in the ACC office no later than 5:00 pm Eastern, Monday, August 31st, 2009 and Applications must be received in the ACC office no later than 5:00 pm Tuesday, September 1st, 2009.
The following positions are open:
American Coal Mag Issue 1, 2009In this issue of American Coal, we take a hard look at the many myths and misperceptions that have been pushed into the media over the past few years. The anti-coal forces have been working over time to ensure that our choices, freedoms, and options are removed.
They claim to be worried about climate change, but then ignore the reality of improving efficiencies and new technologies that have dramatically improved the environmental record of coal. They ignore the affordability and abundance of coal-based energy and choose instead to focus on dramatic and frightening predictions of environmental collapse. They tag coal ash with misleading terms like "toxic" when research shows that it no more "toxic" than the soil in your backyard. They redefine widely understood terms like "clean" to confuse and frighten the people living on main street USA. They ignore the fact that coal acts as a foundation for the provision of clean and affordable energy throughout the developing world, saving (literally) millions of lives as it does. We outline the politcal influence, power grabs, and dirty deeds of the anti-coal forces throughout the pages of this edition. At the same time, we (once again) demonstrate coal's affordability, abundance, and rapidly improving environmental record.
While all of the myths and misperceptions are being foisted on the media and public, the coal industry has been steadily improving its record of environmental performance, affordability and efficiency. We've historically addressed the public's concerns and we continue to do so.
It's time, therefore, to push back against the myths, misperceptions, personal attacks, and outright lies. It's time to clean up the confusion over coal.
We invite you download a copy of this edition of American Coal magazine (pdf format 12.5 MB) and the Membership Directory (pdf format 1.4 MB) to learn more about coal's actual record. If you are interested in receiving a hard copy of the magazine, or contact the ACC by e-mail or phone 602.769.3872.
About the Economic Assessment
In 2005, the American Coal Council (ACC) published the first extensive study of the economic impact of coal ash utilization in the United States. the 128-page report examined the production and use of coal combustion products including fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag and synthetic FGD gypsum. The study identified more than $2.2 billion in annual direct economic impact from the use of the products in a variety of construction and manufacturing applications, as well as a total economic impact of nearly $4.5 billion annually.
About the Update
Since the 2005 report was published, utilization of coal combustion products has increased significantly. Additionally, regulatory scrutiny of coal ash disposal has increased on both the state and federal levels, with new federal regulations expected to be proposed by the end of 2009. Climate change legislation now moving through Congress may also affect the future value of coal ash, which can be used to offset emission of greenhouse gases. These factors, among others, have prompted the ACC to undertake an update and expansion of the 2005 report that is scheduled for publication in Fall 2009.
Click here or on the report cover for more information on the report, John Ward (the report author), advance sales, and sponsorship options.
Special thanks to our Charter Sponsors & companies who have sent in their pre-publication orders ~
For any other information on the report, please contact Janet Gellici, ACC CEO by phone at 202-756-4540, or by email.
A new face in Kansas politics is bringing bipartisan solutions to difficult problems. Rather than simply falling back on strict anti-coal ideologies, Kansas’ new governor, Mark Parkinson, has worked with energy producers to end a protracted legal dispute over the state’s energy future.
