Assuming we can capture and store emissions, should we continue to rely on coal as a primary energy source?

No

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by Cindy Wagner

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With the current energy crisis, many politicians are calling for expanded U.S. coal production and expanded development of coal-to-liquid fuel refineries. Americans need to be cautioned however, that coal extraction results in enormous costs to society and the environment, producing toxins that seep into our water and air supply.

Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock that is composed mostly of hydrocarbons and carbon. It is a nonrenewable fossil fuel since it takes millions of years to create. Millions of years ago, different types of plants and trees became buried under dirt and water, but when the plants were covered, their energy was trapped. The plants and trees then began to decay and the heat and pressure of the earth helped the remains turn into peat and eventually coal. Peat deposits usually formed in watery environments where abundant plant life was present. The rates of decay were slow and as moisture and impurities were squeezed out by heat and pressure the compounds in the peat deposits changed to a more carbon rich substance. Over time the plant debris changes to peat, then lignite, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal and then anthracite coal.

Coal is found in many parts of the world, but the United States has the largest recorded coal reserves, almost 270 billion tons. That amount of coal at the current use level could last almost 240 years. In the United States coal is mostly used for generating electricity and is used to produce almost half of the electricity that our country uses. The United States exports almost 50 million tons of coal each year for the purpose of making steel and imports around 30.5 tons of coal to meet our countries growing need for fossil fuels.

The mining of coal can have a harmful effect on land and add pollutants to the water. The environmental consequences of mining coal include damage to our water through pollution and lowering of the water table. The process of mining releases methane gas, which is harmful to the earth's ozone layer given that it releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Coal formation takes at least a million years to form so our demands are exceeding the natural production, conservation by using alternative energy sources might forestall the disappearance of this natural resource.

Environmental laws adopted by the United States, along with new techniques for extracting coal have helped restore land damaged by the surface mining of coal, but will by no means, make this fuel a completely environmentally friendly energy choice. Liquid coal for example, can produce up to 80% more global warming pollution than typical unleaded gasoline. At this time of soaring energy costs, it seems that money would be better spent on increased funding for development of clean, renewable energy sources.

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