It seems the perfect environment to pick sides and fight.
Energy prices, though they have receded some in recent weeks, spiked to push gasoline over $4 a gallon during much of the summer. There is legitimate concern about what heating costs will do to family budgets this winter. Of course, higher energy costs are felt throughout the general economy, as well.
Throw in the charged atmosphere of a presidential election year in the United States.
We’ve all heard the slogans.
• Increase domestic drilling, including off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and in Alaska.
• The time is right to get serious about plentiful oil shale in the West.
• Let’s get moving on wind and solar power.
• Do everything possible to conserve, such as using mass transit, keeping you car engine tuned, checking the pressure in your tires, slowing down and consolidating your trips.
• Push for higher fuel-mileage standards.
• Unleash technology to develop alternative, non-fossil fuels and make them marketable.
• Don’t forget the potential of nuclear energy.
All sound ideas if they could somehow be tied together in a comprehensive energy package, something the country’s leaders have failed miserably to accomplish for more than 30 years.
Short-term political gains from battles over specifics have to end if the country is going to have sufficient, reasonably priced energy supplied to be poised for sustainable growth.
The United States must look at its energy future realistically, and that includes taking advantage of one of its most abundant resources and one in which West Virginia is rich — coal.
West Virginia, as The Associated Press reported last week, is the second-largest producer of coal in the United States. The industry plays a huge role in the state’s economy, employing about 20,000 miners along with tens of thousands of workers in related fields.
A nonpartisan think tank affiliated with the statewide nonprofit A Vision Shared issued its first-ever policy report on coal last week. It showed that coal is the largest part of the nation’s energy profile — now providing roughly 52 percent of the nation’s energy — and will retain its importance.
Those who believe what they label “dirty coal” can be quickly phased out of the nation’s energy aren’t look at the matter realistically.
“I know there are many people who say, ‘Let’s stop using coal completely,’ but those aren’t the facts of life,” said Gov. Joe Manchin, who spoke at a conference where the report was released by the group Imagine West Virginia.
“It’s so very encouraging to hear an approach to an energy policy that recognizes the central importance of coal,” said Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association.
Allan Tweddle, a member of the state Public Energy Authority, said the medium-range economic picture for coal is complicated, citing estimates that so-called clean coal technology may cause the price of coal to rise and the move of some countries such as Canada and Germany away from coal.
“The cost of wind power and solar power is coming down, constantly,” he said.
There is no question that alternative energy will be part of he nation’s future. As an example in this state, the environmental group Coal River Mountain Watch has an initiative that seeks to encourage Massey Energy to stop plans to create a mountaintop removal mine on Coal River Mountain in southern West Virginia.
The group says the ridges would be put to greater use if they were developed as a wind farm than if they were mined for coal.
“I don’t want to have a debate on whether windmills are better than coal or whether coal is better than windmills,” Raney said. “We need them all.”
That’s the approach the country needs to take.
Opinion
Coal must be significant part of realistic U.S. energy policy
- Opinion
-
-
Quit playing games; ‘do what is right’ in renewing extension of the payroll tax cut
Once again, lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are working on a deal to extend a payroll tax cut for 160 million Americans beyond the end of the month.
And once again, debate has ensued. -
Superintendent, BOE must find accord if schools are to progress
We’re a little confused.
In October, an item appeared on the agenda of a Marion County Board of Education meeting to hire an administrative assistant of Human Resources and Student Support Services. But the item was pulled from the agenda with no public discussion about why, and the position was not filled. -
George Esper: Outstanding man as correspondent and WVU professor
Many West Virginians would no doubt be shocked to learn that the outstanding correspondent from the Vietnam War was a West Virginia University graduate from Uniontown, Pa.
His name was George Esper, one familiar for many years around the WVU School of Journalism for his tenacious coverage of the Vietnam War that established him as a highly revered print reporter of the 20th century. -
Hiding state records has no place in a democracy
In private business and personal life, people may hide some activities, exercising their right of privacy. But government is different.
-
Results about Twitter, free from censorship
So Twitter announces that it will allow country-specific censorship. What followed was #outrage, #disbelief, #protest, #RighteousIndignation, #TwitterBlackout and #rage.
-
West Virginia must develop plan to fulfill highway needs
There is no dispute that improving West Virginia’s roads is one of the state’s biggest needs.
We use them daily — out of necessity and for pleasure.
They’re also vital to West Virginia’s economic health. -
Best interests would be served if FGH and city both move on
In December, Marion County Circuit Court Judge David Janes ruled that the Fairmont General Hospital Board of Directors can appoint its own members and that the City of Fairmont’s charter no longer applies to the hospital.
-
Educational partnership a step in the right direction
Officials involved in a new educational partnership between Pierpont Community & Technical College and FirstEnergy Corp. call the endeavor a “great opportunity.”
We think it’s even more than that. -
Meth causes senseless waste, terrible damage in West Virginia
Terrible damage is inflicted on West Virginia — and upon abusers and their families — because dopeheads feel compelled to blank out their minds with drugs of many sorts. We can’t understand the sad need that impels them. It causes a senseless loss to society and individuals, filling prisons and wrecking jobs.
-
Limited funds for workforce training can’t be wasted through drug abuse
There’s only so much money to go around when it comes to workforce training. And with the national economy still in a bit of a slump, there’s even less money to go around and even more of a reason to make the money invested in these programs count.
- More Opinion Headlines
-
Quit playing games; ‘do what is right’ in renewing extension of the payroll tax cut
