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Oct. 14, 2005
Byrd Supports Manchin’s Initiative on State’s Role in New National Energy
Strategy
By HNN Staff
Washington, DC (HNN) – U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., issued the
following statement on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005, in support of Gov. Joe
Manchin’s announcement of a coal initiative as part of a new comprehensive
state energy policy. Byrd pledged to work with Manchin to ensure that West
Virginia’s resources and ingenuity can help to chart the course towards a
more secure energy future.
Byrd’s statement:
“I want to congratulate Governor Manchin on his announcement today.
Governor Manchin recognizes the serious energy challenges that this Nation
faces. He also realizes the incredible opportunity West Virginia has been
given to the demonstrate this state's ability to help deal with the major
energy security, economic, and environmental challenges that lie ahead of
us.
“A perfect storm has been brewing regarding our Nation’s continued lack of a
comprehensive energy policy. As the U.S. becomes ever more dependent on
imported oil, gasoline prices continue to hit West Virginians very hard in
the pocket book. The price of natural gas is at an historic high, and
consumers and manufacturers in West Virginia and across the country are
already struggling to pay their bills.
“Our Nation needs to begin defining alternative pathways and new approaches
that go beyond the extremist debates and simplistic solutions that define
our very demanding energy challenges.
“Governor Manchin and I know that it is time to utilize West Virginia’s rich
human and natural resources. We should be exploring new ways to use our
vast coal resources as well as recognizing the exciting opportunities to
develop our renewable resources like hydroelectric, wind, solar, and biomass
energy. A serious energy efficiency program, bolstered by the promotion of
renewable energy and other clean home-grown energy sources, provides a
compass point for a serious energy strategy, and West Virginia can set that
course.
“At its core, we must rely on our Nation's greatest domestic energy asset,
coal. Coal must become a primary fuel source for new energy demands into
the 2lst Century. However, to do so requires that we think differently
about it. We must accelerate the deployment of commercial-scale
technologies that move us away from simply burning coal toward the enhanced
ability to transform coal into a variety of energy products. We can begin
to meet this challenge by deploying coal gasification, coal-to-liquids, coal
bed methane, and carbon sequestration technologies as well as by producing
hydrogen and synthetic fuels for use in other sectors of the economy.
Furthermore, our nation must finally recognize the incredible impact that
U.S. technologies and ideas can have in helping to meet other nations'
energy needs. We must open and expand international markets for a range of
U.S. clean energy technologies and that can start in West Virginia.
“I pledge to work with Governor Manchin on the plan that he has announced
today. He has laid out the right track on an exciting new opportunity to
make transportation fuels from coal. Pursuing this course will take
steadfast leadership, hard work, and plain old ingenuity to move forward.
It is time for the federal and state governments, industry, labor, academic,
environmental, and local community interests to work together to make this
coal conversion initiative a reality. By taking this path, we can begin to
reconcile our energy security and climate change challenges, continue to
grow the economy, provide new jobs, stimulate advanced technology
deployment, and set the stage for a renewed era for coal. By doing so, we
can champion a forward-thinking legacy that will benefit West Virginians and
the Nation as a whole.”
Editor’s Note: For more information on coal gasification, including
descriptions of two large gasification power plants in operation near Terre
Haute, Indiana and Tampa, Florida, see:
http://www.fe.doe.gov/programs/powersystems/gasification/gasificationpioneer.html
