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http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0924442620070709?fee
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Gore coal pledge "short-sighted": miners union
Mon Jul 9, 2007 7:06PM EDT
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Power. Price. Service. No Compromises.By Steve James

NEW YORK (Reuters) - America's main coal mining union said on Monday 
former Vice President Al Gore's Live Earth concert pledge to fight for a 
ban on new coal-fired power plants was "short-sighted."

And the main trade group of mine operators backed the union, saying it 
was premature to call for an end to coal-fired electricity generation 
when the technology to reduce greenhouse gases is still being developed.

Gore urged fans at the concerts held around the world on July 7 to 
commit to a seven-point pledge to cut carbon emissions and to lobby 
governments and employers to do more to save the planet.

The third point on the pledge states: "To fight for a moratorium on the 
construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the 
capacity to safely trap and store the CO2."

Approximately 50 percent of current U.S. electricity is generated by 
coal-burning plants.

Phil Smith, a spokesman for the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), 
said the union had no official comment on the pledge, but that it 
supported the concept of carbon capture and sequestration.

"We believe it is the way to go, but we also believe a moratorium on any 
new plant is somewhat short-sighted as it could be years before the 
technology is developed, while the need for power is now," Smith said.

"You are not going to be able to stop burning coal to generate 
electricity. And if you do not build new plants in the next 10 to 15 
years, you will be relying on current plants," he said. Smith said 
current plants were much cleaner than plants built in the 1970s and 
1980s.

Carol Raulston, spokeswoman for the National Mining Association, said: 
"The industry is working very hard with its utility customers on carbon 
capture and sequestration."

"But the technology is not fully available at this time and so one has 
to balance growing energy needs with when the technology will be 
available," said Raulston.


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