A panel of coal experts participate the Coal in Kentucky forum on Thursday night. Photo by Jon Reynolds | Staff
By Roy York
On Tuesday, UK attempted to throw a bucket of water on the flames that have erupted around the coal debate on campus.
Four panelists, experts on coal from diverse backgrounds, were the firefighters during a forum that invited debate on both sides of the coal issue.
Fred Palmer, senior vice president of government relations for Peabody Energy; Tom FitzGerald, director of the Kentucky Resources Council; Joe Craft, president and CEO of Alliance Coal; and Jeff Goodell, New York Times best-selling author and speaker, weighed in before an audience of UK students, faculty and Lexington citizens in Memorial Hall on the economic, social and moral implications on coal as Kentucky’s main source of energy.
“(The forum) was a lot more well rounded than I expected it to be,†said Nick Kilby, a political science freshman. “It was obviously two for (coal) and two for change.â€
Craft brought the economic impact of coal to the forefront of the dialogue. He said his company pays $50 million in taxes to Kentucky each year and plans to open a new coal mine, which will provide 1,200 jobs and $15 million in tax dollars for the Commonwealth.
In response, Goodell said pollution and carbon dioxide emissions are the most pertinent issues surrounding coal.
“When Joe opens a coal mine, there are implications for the entire planet,†Goodell said.
Each panelist, whether he was pro-coal expansion or pro-energy reform, agreed reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere is key as coal use increases in the 21st century.
Palmer said his company was moving toward trapping carbon emissions underground, and he said carbon capture and storage would allow coal to grow indefinitely despite environmental opposition.
FitzGerald argued coal companies are not honoring restoration regulations and are continuing to find loopholes in legislation.
“(Coal regulation) is a mockery of what Congress intended in 1977,†FitzGerald said. “It will take constant vigilance to reclaim the vision that congress had.â€
Goodell said in order to move forward in energy production and technology, citizens have to accept the harmful effects of coal and begin to find solutions.
“Debating whether climate change is real or not is so yesterday, and the question now is what are we going to do about it,†Goodell said. “You can’t lobby Mother Nature.â€
But Craft believes even as the world moves forward with energy initiatives, coal will stick around.
“The opposition wants to name coal yesterday’s fuel,†Craft said. “I believe coal is not yesterday’s fuel … Globally, it’s the fastest growing source of energy.â€
Craft said 80 percent of the issues surrounding coal were problems the industry and environmentalists could agree to begin working toward solutions. He said the debate should focus on those issues instead of the 20 percent of problems raising major issues.
“I agree with the concept that we all must work together,†Craft said. “But the question is: Where do we want our country to go and where do we want our economy to go?â€
Kilby said the event would inspire people to educate themselves on the coal issue, but the forum equated to a bucket of water being thrown on a forest fire.
“If you let something like this make you think everything’s going to be OK, then you’re not an activist,†Kilby said.
As an attendee of last night’s evening session I wanted to share with everyone some of Mr. Craft’s many opinions that will now be stamped onto one of our buildings: global cooling has been occurring for the past 90 years, coal slurry is not toxic, Furthermore is to be called call manufacturing not slurry, and most audacious of all “everyone in EKY who wants to work has a job and if not they’d rather collect welfare and food stamps.” Due to time constraints, and no direct questions from the audience Mr. Craft was never called on any of his obnoxious at best comments. I fully understand why big coal requires the protection of 15 uniformed cops and 4 bodyguards. I guess it was a slow night on state street.
disgusted alumni
2000 B+E
Larry Tannheimer
Larry,
Your a dork …
Burn Coal !!!,
It seems you fit the mold of most other people who don’t want new sources of energy. You can’t bring up a reasonable response to Larry’s criticisms, and resort to personal attacks.
Debating people like you is a waste of time, becuase there’s no debate. It’s just name calling from your side.
Mr. Craft never said that slurry was non toxic. He said he didn’t have the problem of toxic slurry being dumped into the water. He also made a comment on the slurry as a result of the mineral processing part of the coal process. So the statement that he called it coal manufacturing is unfair. I think that the industry is making steps in the right direction. Last night at the forum people from the environmental side yelled and spoke out and their actions went without consequence. No one was escorted or told to be quiet. I understand that this is a issue but you can still get answers without being rude. Rules and regulations put in place by the federal government agency’s such as MSHA and OSHA regulate the so called “toxic slurry”. If an accident does happen the proper fines and discipline actions are followed. I am from Harlan County and the area is extremely dependent on Coal. I understand that we need to make steps to renewable resources but Coal can help us get there. Throughout time Coal has stood as a good energy source. When people say we need to do things for the environment we always conform and use technology to get where we need to be. All we need now is time and efforts from both sides to successfully solve these tough issues…
I encourage all of you young, bright, idealistic, know it alls to get your diploma and get the hell out of Dodge! I want you to move to California, New York, Chicago or any of the other places you think are so great and progressive. Mingle, work, buy a home, start a family, maybe even try to start your own business and then see how you think and what you think about your old backwards State of Kentucky. We will not miss the likes of you one iota. As life progresses you just have to learn to ignore those in their infancy.
Larry there was not 4 bodyguards
“I believe coal is not yesterday’s fuel … Globally, it’s the fastest growing source of energy.†I like this answer !
Yes having the recently educated young people move from the state with one of the lowest percentage of college graduates in the country is the solution. One of the reasons so many of our best and brightest do “get out of dodge” is due to lack of economic opportunities and the masses of backward ignorant people in this state. How will this create the economic growth so many in the coal industry profess to champion? There were three bodyguards to the left of the state and one on the right- or they were stout guys with cheap suits and a very keen interest of the crowd. Oh and I own and operate two businesses chris.
Coal is one of the fastest growing energy sources globally, that is a fact. It provides thousands of jobs, either directly or indirectly, to people all across the state. Kentucky has some of the lowest energy bills in the nation because our energy comes from coal. In an already “economic slump,†we should appreciate having coal as an energy source. Over half of the nation is supplied with energy through the burning of coal, so to get rid of it would be ridiculous.
There is no argument that we need to focus on advancing clean coal technology, and it can be done. The problem is, it is not always the coal supporters that are not eager for change, it is the nay-sayers. Support advancements in clean coal technology and help everyone benefit from what our state already has.
I would have loved to been at the event held yesterday, but unfortunately, I had nursing clinical pretty well during the entire thing. I do support coal and the advancement of clean coal technology. As a resident of eastern Kentucky, I know the importance of keeping coal mining for the people in the area. I have lived in eastern Kentucky my entire life, and I could think of no other place I would rather go to live and start a family. It is a beautiful place and sadly very poverty stricken. Coal mining is one of the very few jobs in the area that allow people to make a living above poverty level.
It is easy to pick a side when it comes to the issue of coal and the environment. However, what a lot fail to take into consideration, are the people of the area where coal mining exists. There is not one coal mine in Lexington, Ky., so a lot of the people here truly do not understand the impacts that coal mining has on us from EKY. Without coal mining, we would not have a foot to stand on. Someone said that all coal supporters were interested in was “name callingâ€, and I disagree. Everything I have stated is a fact, either a published one or an experienced one. I support coal with or without anyone’s approval and encourage you to do the same!