Identification and prioritization of concerns in coal transportation now through 2000

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6570186

DeSteese, J. G.; Franklin, A. L.

This review presents the results of analysis used to identify and prioritize perceived potential problems that may hinder the development of coal transportation in the United States during the balance of the century. One objective of this effort is to discriminate serious concerns affecting the overall adequacy of coal transportation systems from issues of lesser significance. The concerns with the highest priority are anticipated to impact coal transportation in the early 1980s. These concerns relate to public acceptance, logistic problems with frozen coal, the impact of slurry pipelines, and sludge transportation. Problems with the potential of impact in the balance of the century include the effects of rate rgulations on railroad incentives to haul coal, the safety and environmental impact of advanced slurry systems and congestion on inland waterways. A second objective of the analysis is to recommend specific actions that may mitigate the consequences of potential problems. The recommendations discussed in this paper include the need for new research, developments and demonstrations, risk assessments and other evaluations to fill possible gaps in the coverage of current programs that address aspects of the above concerns. Reasons are discussed for considering some familiar issues to be of lower importance than the above concerns, including railroad capital requirements, equipment availability, abandonment policy and sabotage, eminent domain for slurry pipelines, competition for barges at harvest time and potential impacts of the Clean Air Act amendments.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 6570186
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-6967; CONF-7806123-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
013000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
AVAILABILITY
BARGES
CAPITAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHARGES
CLEAN AIR ACT
COAL
DIESEL FUELS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FREEZING
FREIGHT PIPELINES
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INLAND WATERWAYS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LAWS
LEGAL ASPECTS
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
PIPELINES
POLLUTION LAWS
RAIL TRANSPORT
RAILWAYS
SABOTAGE
SLUDGES
SLURRY PIPELINES
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
TRANSPORT
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT