Sixthirtyone

Issue date: 1/20/10 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Collegian Vol. 95 Iss. 11 Excerpt from "Nuclear waste blocks growth opportunities"

Last November, Collegian writer Philip Reiser penned an article discussing nuclear energy. In that article, Mr. Reiser made several claims about coal as a source of energy that are erroneous. In his article, Mr. Reiser referred to coal as "contaminated," insinuating that there are no environmental controls on the use of this natural resource. On the contrary, coal production is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the US, monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and various sections of the Clean Water Act.

In the following paragraph, Mr. Reiser stated that coal provides "about half" of the electric power in the US, and went on to suggest that "there is a visible need to reduce this share of coal energy...."

Puzzled by this assertion, I spoke with Cason Carter, Corporate Counsel at Alliance Coal, LLC. He responded to Mr. Reiser's suggestion:

"Coal is responsible for nearly 50% of the electricity generated in the United States, and for good reason. It is affordable; it is the most affordable form of baseload energy, other than perhaps hydroelectric power, which is only available in certain locations.

"Coal is abundant. The US has an over 200-year supply of coal. And it is domestic source of energy, which enhances energy security here in the United States. It is labor intensive. It employs a lot of people. The average wage in the coal industry is over $72,000, which is 33% above the industrial average. So, coal is an industry that provides quality jobs, and, for everyone who turns on lights, a stable form of electricity.

"Our economy is deeply dependent upon affordable energy, so coal leads to economic success."

Mr Reiser's premise that nuclear energy should assume a larger portion of America's energy mix is certainly true. However, his assertions about the role of coal as a source of electric power in the US energy mix are dubious. Coal is an affordable domestic source of energy, and an excellent fuel to provide heat and light to American homes.

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