Analysis: The Coal Conundrum

Mining   Policy
By John Solomon on July 6, 2012

American coal may be one of the country's cheapest and most abundant fuels, but its future increasingly seems dependent on exports. 

The U.S. industry has been struck with a flood of tough news that makes clear its domestic market is destined to keep shrinking as utilities increasingly embrace cheaper, cleaner-burning natural gas as the easiest way to comply with new air pollution regulations.

Tags: 
Congressional Budget Office
Carbon Capture and Storage
Energy Information Administration
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News from Around the World

Electricity

EIA: Coal's electricity market share rebounded in past year

Source: 
MarketWatch
The Energy Information Administration said coal's market share for electricity generation rebounded since March 2012 on higher natural gas prices, MarketWatch reports.
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Politics

McAuliffe changes stance on Va. offshore drilling

Source: 
The Washington Post
Democratic Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe switched his position on offshore drilling of the state's coast, supporting a pro-drilling bill introduced by Virginia's Democratic senators, The Washington Post reports.
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Nuclear

Boxer presses Macfarlane for San Onofre hearing

Source: 
Southern California Public Radio

Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer urged NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane to complete an investigation and hold a public hearing before allowing the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to restart, Southern California Public Radio reports.

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Nuclear

Vitter, Upton seek GAO report on NRC rulemaking process

Source: 
Platts

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., called for a GAO report on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's procedures for determining the costs of new regulations, Platts reports.

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Natural Gas

Changes to FracFocus registry coming next week

Source: 
Bloomberg
FracFocus, an industry-backed registry for hydraulic fracturing chemicals, will update its system to allow regulators to search through a database of chemicals next week, Bloomberg reports.
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Politics

National Republicans send staffers to Mass. race

Source: 
Roll Call
The National Republican Senatorial Committee sent four staffers to assist Gabriel Gomez in the Massachusetts Senate special election, Roll Call reports.
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Oil

Keystone XL's southern leg on schedule, near completion

Source: 
FuelFix
TransCanada said the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline remains on schedule and is more than 75 percent compete, FuelFix reports.
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Politics

GOP warns Obama against linking Keystone to climate policy

Source: 
The Hill

A group of two dozen Senate Republicans urged President Obama against making Keystone XL pipeline approval contingent on "unrelated" climate change policies, The Hill reports.

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Oil

API sees new rules hiking gasoline prices

Source: 
The Washington Examiner
The American Petroleum Institute issued a white paper projecting new federal rules could increase gasoline prices by as much as 25 cents a gallon, The Washington Examiner reports.
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Politics

Gov. Brown laments climate change coverage

Source: 
The Sacramento Bee
California Jerry Brown contended news media inadequately report on climate change and give too much coverage climate skeptics, The Sacramento Bee reports.
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