Big ifs in coal's future

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · Nation's Bus.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6746731

Holmes, C D

Mrs. Holmes states that, while total coal production in 1978 may be somewhat less than it would have been without the strike, the long-run growth of the coal industry will continue unabated. The coal industry produced approximately 690 million tons of coal in 1977, slightly more than half of the 1.2 billion tons the President calls for in 1985. Those who say the 1985 production goal will not be met argue that transportation is inadequate; that manpower requirements are so great, expecially in the face of falling productivity, that there may not be enough miners; and that the unprecedented amounts of capital and the mining equipment needed will not be available. Also, it is invariably pointed out that the coal industry has only increased annual production by 70 million tons since 1974, far short of the amounts forecast by the original 1974 Project Independence report. But, according to Mrs. Holmes, there really are only two reasons why coal production would not reach 1.2 billion tons or more by 1985--insufficient demand or unreasonable constraints imposed on both the coal industry and the coal user industries by government. After citing reasons for optimism, Mrs. Holmes briefly discusses the three biggest constraints: (1) transportation facilities; (2) heavy capital needs; and (3) government regulations. (MCW)

• Research Organization: National Coal Association, Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 6746731
• Journal Information: Nation's Bus.; (United States), Journal Name: Nation's Bus.; (United States) Vol. 66:5; ISSN NBUSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012000 -- Coal
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& Peat-- Mining
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294001* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
CAPITAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COAL INDUSTRY
COAL MINING
COMBUSTION
DEMAND FACTORS
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
MINING
NATIONAL ENERGY PLAN
OXIDATION
PLANNING
PRODUCTION
PROJECT INDEPENDENCE
REGULATIONS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES