Rockefeller in particular has been actively seeking funding for long-term contracts for the Air Force to use the production from a Coal-To-Liquids facility. Currently, the law prohibits contracts longer than a few years, and Wall Street is demanding longer-term guarantees for fuel sales before backing CTL. During the energy crises in the 1970's, alternative fuel plants were built that could deliver liquid fuels at a price equivalent to $55 per barrel. Then Reagan got elected, all subsidies for alternative fuels were canceled, oil dropped to $12-13 per barrel, and the companies lost billions. So no one wants to invest in CTL without a long-term guarantee.
Given the greenhouse gas emissions from a CTL plant, long-term contracts simply do not make sense, and it amounts to a huge subsidy for coal. But this is something that Rockefeller clearly wants, so write those letters.
JBK
"Paul Wilson" pjgrunt@gmail.com 5/7/2008 11:19 AM >>>
This is BIG. Another way for the Coal-To-Liquids crowd to get a foot in the door via Defense appropriates. Please send your letter. Also you will have to send it separately to Rockefeller but there are instructions on how to cut and paste your message in his email system. thanks, paul
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Alice McKeown Alice.McKeown@sierraclub.org Date: Tue, May 6, 2008 at 4:04 PM Subject: TAKE ACTION: No Dirty Coal Fuels in the Defense Authorization Bill! To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS@lists.sierraclub.org
Take Action: No Dirty Fuels in the Defense Authorization Bill
Not satisfied with resounding losses last year, coal-to-liquids proponents are now trying to tack incentives for their dirty fuels onto the Defense Authorization bill. Coal-to-liquids, or liquid coal, would cause double the global warming pollution as conventional transportation fuels and would dramatically increase destructive coal mining in our nation.
These proponents are also taking aim at "Section 526," a provision in the recently passed energy bill that prohibits federal agencies from spending taxpayer dollars on purchasing contracts for dirty fuels that would increase global warming pollution.
Tell Congress to reject incentives for liquid coal and to preserve section 526!
https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAct...
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