Coal and the public lands and why the former isn't coming from the latter when the Nation needs it: a case study in national masochism

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · Energy Commun.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7274321

Bagge, C E

The U.S. is in desperate need for new energy supplies, but, according to Mr. Bagge, ''our most abundant energy source is locked out of adequate production by shortsighted administrative actions, misguided legislative policies, and ambiguous judicial decisions.'' A report by the Bureau of Land Management generally estimates that Federal coal resources stand at 500 billion tons. In eight states that contain the Federal deposits, the Federal acreage is almost twice the non-Federal coal acreage. The freeze on Federal coal leasing has been in effect since 1971. The environmental impact statements on the proposed leasing program says there are 530 coal leases covering 778,000 acres, which is 8/10 of 1 percent of the total acreage of the Federal coal. The enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act furthered the problems of coal development by the vagueness of its implementation clause. The coal industry is ready to deal with the complicated problems that do exist for the winning of Western coal or any coal deposit, but there exists the need for a basic national commitment to coal that will permit this assurance to the industry. (MCW)

• Research Organization: National Coal Association, Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 7274321
• Journal Information: Energy Commun.; (United States), Journal Name: Energy Commun.; (United States) Vol. 2:3; ISSN ENCOD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
294001* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
550500 -- Metabolism
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COAL INDUSTRY
COAL MINING
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
LAND USE
LEASES
MINING
PRODUCTION
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS