It is often said that “the United States is the Saudi Arabia of coal.”  With an abundant supply of coal that generates more than half of our electricity, we cannot ignore this valuable domestic resource. With coal reserves that constitute more energy than all of the world’s oil reserves, coal is an important strategic asset of the Unites States. Our national economy is inextricably linked to its use.  If we are serious about weaning ourselves off of foreign sources of energy, coal can and should be an integral component of that energy strategy.  

Due to the harmful environmental effects of burning coal, I believe that it is imperative to develop technologies to burn coal more cleanly.  I have supported a number of initiatives in the Senate to increase investment in solutions that will allow us to continue to utilize our significant domestic energy resources while ensuring the development of appropriate and adequate technologies to protect the environment. 

Southwest Virginia has an abundance of coal that provides employment to a large number of Virginians and is a lifeline for the area.  Currently, efforts are underway there to store carbon dioxide in unmineable coal beds which could yield $4 billion in natural gas in the years ahead as a derivative of carbon sequestration.