Coal resources, new air quality standards,and sustainability |
| |
Authors: | E D Attanasi |
| |
Institution: | (1) U.S. Geological Survey, National Center MS 956, 20192. Reston, Virginia |
| |
Abstract: | According to the National Research Council’s Committee on Earth Resources the stated goal of the “sustainability” paradigm
is that the economic activity that maintains current well-being not make future generations worse off, either through environmental
degradation or resource depletion. Coal is not “running out” in the United States but the effects of economic deregulation
of electricity generation, new air quality standards (Phase II of the 1990 Clear Air Act Amendments), and continued restructuring
of the coal mining industry will likely stretch lowsulfur coal supplies in the next decade. The paper discusses these forces
and then presents summary coal quality data in the form of grade-cumulative tonnage relationships for major U.S. producing
areas to show where future low-sulfur coal supplies are likely to come from. The final section considers the potential magnitude
of additional demand for low-sulfur coal, alternative compliance strategies, and implications in terms of maintaining economic
efficiency and in terms of the “sustainability paradigm.” |
| |
Keywords: | Coal resources air quality standards sustainability |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|