NMA government affairs director Craig Montesano told members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee that imposing a system of mandatory caps on coal-based emissions would raise costs to US consumers and manufacturers but provide insignificant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
“Clean coal-based electric generation and coal-to-liquids technology can play a vital role in addressing both our economic and environmental challenges, but not if coal's use is rationed," Montesano said.
He claimed caps would “discourage investment in new technologies capable of making coal cleaner and also postpone the day when coal-derived fuels become valuable substitutes for imported energy".
