Don’t dismiss the energy debate

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September 11, 2009

BY HANK PARKE The Tribune-Democrat Fri Sep 11, 2009, 08:48 AM EDT

In Pennsylvania, debate over federal climate change legislation (H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009) seems to be taking a back seat to the debate over health-care reform. But, climate legislation will affect everyone in some way.

We need electricity to turn on the lights or to make dinner, and also to power our medical, educational, business, industrial and governmental entities. Pennsylvanians must have a voice in determining what our future energy sources will be as our energy costs, our environment and our economy rely on these choices.

Coal helps keep energy costs more affordable for families and businesses in Pennsylvania, which gets more than half of its electricity from coal and has electric rates that have been below the national average.

H.R. 2454 will drive up our electric costs by an additional 40 percent over the next 20 years, according to a recent report by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

We are the nation’s fourth-largest coal producer, and coal is responsible for nearly 50,000 jobs in this commonwealth. About three-fourths of our bituminous production goes into making electricity, and much is used in important industries such as steelmaking.

NAM’s report also estimated that if coal were disadvantaged in Pennsylvania’s energy mix, the cost to the commonwealth could be as many as 97,500 job and $20 billion in gross economic output losses during the next 20 years.

We certainly have enough economic challenges that we don’t need to add this threat to our future.

We care about our environment, but coal doesn’t get its rightful credit for being increasingly cleaner as a power source. While our nation tripled its electric use since the mid-1970s, regulated emissions decreased by nearly 80 percent – a result of billions of dollars in technological investment.

Coal not only is a domestic power source, it is a round-the-clock source, unlike many renewable sources, such as wind and solar.

While renewables may get the headlines, they also remain a very small fraction of our power and are not as great a potential source of electricity here as they are in other states.

It’s hard to beat coal in Pennsylvania for its affordability, availability and economic benefits. Any federal legislation must recognize the commonwealth’s unique dependence on this resource.

There is much at stake in how we power Pennsylvania for years to come, and I hope people communicate the importance of protecting our special position to U.S. Sens. Arlen Specter and Bob Casey Jr.

Hank Parke is director of business development for PBS Coals Inc., Friedens, Somerset County.

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