Assessment of national consequences of increased coal utilization. Executive summary
In addressing the set of National Energy Plan (NEP) scenario assumptions, ten technical areas were considered: Siting, Air Quality, Western Long-Range Transport of Sulfur, Eastern Long-Range Transport of Sulfur, Water Quality, Water Availability, Solid Waste, Local Socioeconomics, National Economics, and Health Effects. The major constraints to reaching NEP coal use goals, which are 160 GWe of new utility coal use and 4.5 Quads of new industrial coal use, appear to be those pertaining to air quality. They involve the siting of utility and industrial sources in or near nonattainment areas or Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Class I areas. Implementation of NEP initiatives should not cause increased public health impacts. The major impact on coal use will arise in areas upwind from population areas projected to be subject to high sulfate levels. Water quality and water availability constraints on site-specific bases are expected. Solid waste does not appear to be a constraint for achieving NEP coal use goals, particularly in the utility sector. It may, however, severely restrict NEP coal use goals for industry, especially in urban areas where a lack of suitable nearby solid waste disposal sites could result in high transportation costs. This factor could constrain up to 40% of new industrial coal use. Total occupational health impacts increase proportionately to coal production and utilization. The major occupational health effects in the mining sector will be disease and accidents. Given the generic nature of coal use and its increased usage, the conclusions found in this report should be reasonably accurate and serve as guidelines for assisting in policy decisions; regulations based on new or recent laws should be monitored and reviewed as they are promulgated. (LTN)
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA); California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Lawrence Berkeley Lab.; Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA); Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38; EY-76-C-02-0016; W-7405-ENG-48; W-7405-ENG-36; W-7405-ENG-26; EY-76-C-06-1830
- OSTI ID:
- 6244202
- Report Number(s):
- TID-2945(Vol.2)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
COAL
COMBUSTION
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
SITE SELECTION
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
NATIONAL ENERGY PLAN
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
SOLID WASTES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WATER RESOURCES
AVAILABILITY
AIR POLLUTION
LEGISLATION
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
REGULATIONS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
USA
WATER QUALITY
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISEASES
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POWER PLANTS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
017000* - Coal
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294001 - Energy Planning & Policy- Coal
293000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Policy
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010900 - Coal
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