McConnell, Byrd Squarely Behind $35 Billion Federal Loan Proposal For More Coal Plants

[hatrack]

New Haven, WV (AHN) - The nation's coal wars are heating up on Capital Hill. Research and work on perfecting scrubbers to remove pollutants from coal-fueled power plant's exhaust stacks before they are spewed into earth's atmosphere has gone on for years. But while a new generation of coal-fueled power plant scrubbers takes out sulfur dioxide emissions, critics worry about greenhouse gas heat trapping carbon dioxide.

Two U.S. senators from coal producing states believe that the new generation scrubbers make it possible to burn the plentiful coal from their states and promote clean air initiatives too. Sens. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) back a controversial federal loan program that would benefit their states.

The federal loan program would increase the number of coal power plants built, thus increasing coal consumption and that would benefit the coal producing states senator's constituents who own or are employed by West Virginia mining companies. The program would give loans to build coal plants for rural electric companies. Those plants would presumably use a new generation scrubber like the one recently installed on Appalachian Power's New Haven, West Virginia plant that reduces sulfur dioxide emissions by about 98 percent, according to plant officials.

But the bigger problem is the carbon dioxide that scientists blame for global warming that the plants spew into the air along with soot. If the $35 billion program for loans to rural electric cooperatives goes through, it would fund enough new coal plants spewing carbon dioxide to offset all of the efforts by the federal and state governments to reduce greenhouse gases over the next 10 years, the Washington Post reported.

EDIT

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7007407978

[gravity]

1. I smell bacon

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Ayuh

[depakid]

11. Byrd's been on top of the pork list for half a century!

and he'll probably succeed this time, too.

[MessiahRp]

3. We need to speed up Hydrogen, Wind and Solar energy research

They are the true renewable energies. Ethanol will ultimately tap into our food base, coal is finite and not clean either.

We need to start focusing on the reality of the future and that begins and ends with hydrogen cells, wind and solar.

Rp

[XemaSab]

7. Hydrogen is most easily made from coal

The SCE demonstration project will have pure hydrogen as an intermediate step in the process.

[lfairban]

8. I have heard of this . . .

. . . it is the same process you use to make Gold from Lead.

[XemaSab]

9. Have you ever taken basic chemistry?

:shrug:

[gravity]

10. Have you?

Coal is carbon, while hydrogen is hydrogen. Unless you can magically turn one element into another, you can't turn carbon into hydrogen.

[NNadir]

12. Sigh...

What you don't know could fill a book, a chemistry book.

The Haber process for making ammonia, which is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, was originally coal driven. It was invented in Germany which at the time (and in the future) was a coal driven nation.

Currently the vast majority of hydrogen (much of which is used for ammonia synthesis) on this planet is made from the reformation of natural gas in the water shift reaction. For most of industrial history however the water shift reaction was driven by coal.

Unless you can magically learn industrial chemistry, I would suggest that you listen. If you must speak, be sure you know what you are talking about.

Hydrogen is not a source of energy. It is a chemical means of storing energy.

[gravity]

13. The problem is that still creates greenhouse gases

It's pointless in the context of discussion.

[eppur_se_muova]

14. C + H2O --> CO + H2

one of the best known reactions in the world.

And with Wiki, you don't have the excuse of not having a chemistry textbook: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_gas

(Actually, it's two of the best known reactions in the world, since the name means different things in the US and UK. EITHER reaction, though, eventually ends up producing CO2 to make H2. Not good.)

[phantom power]

4. Much easier than explaining the unpleasant truth to their voters, I'm sure.

:eyes:

[Nihil]

5. Two more candidates ...

... for the "Short-sighted Selfish Scum of the Year" award ...

[lfairban]

6. Coal mining subsidies?

The very words make me quiver.

I recall how the coal industry in Ohio managed to create a governmental agency that essentially functioned to promote the Ohio Coal industry.

The Ohio Coal Development Office (OCDO), within the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA), co-funds the development and implementation of technologies that can use Ohio's vast reserves of high sulfur coal in an economical, environmentally sound manner.

http://www.ohioairquality.org/ocdo/coal_main.asp">link

Work at the Ohio EPA was at times depressing but never ceased to be amusing.