Politics said to hamper coal-slurry lines
Politics and not technology is still thwarting development of coal-slurry pipelines throughout the western half of the US. And without the right of eminent domain--already granted to the existing 425,000-mile network of natural-gas and liquid-hydrogen pipelines--slurry legislation must wait. Representative Robert Eckhardt sponsored legislation in 1975 granting coal-slurry pipelines the right of eminent domain. The legislation was tabled. Eckhardt said his measure was opposed by railroads and railroad labor with some opponents claiming that the bill (HR 2553) should not be considered until the problem of the strip-mining bill was settled, two such bills having been vetoed by the President during the 94th Congress. ''In effect,'' said Eckhardt, ''let's plan how to get the coal before we plan on how to move it.'' The congressman also answered those critics who claim that, before any new slurry pipelines are built, feasibility studies should be conducted. He cited the 273-mile Black Mesa line, which delivers almost 5-million tons annually from Arizona to the Mohave power station in Nevada, as an example that has shown, since 1970, that coal pipelines are feasible. (It might be noted that there is also a now unused 108-mile line extending from Cadiz in southern Ohio to Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co.'s East Lake plant in northern Ohio.) ''What we need to do,'' said Eckhardt, ''is to let pipelines enter the marketplace like any other venture and see if people are willing to invest in them.'' (MCW)
- OSTI ID:
- 7345659
- Journal Information:
- Electr. World; (United States), Vol. 186:7
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
POLICY AND ECONOMY
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL
TRANSPORT
SLURRY PIPELINES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
LEGISLATION
PIPELINES
USA
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FREIGHT PIPELINES
FUELS
NORTH AMERICA
294001* - Energy Planning & Policy- Coal
290700 - Energy Planning & Policy- Transport & Storage
013000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Transport
Handling
& Storage