ACCCE Statement on President's Energy Address: "President Must Emphasize Coal's Role in a Secure Energy Future"

Alexandria, VA – The following statement was released today by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) President and CEO Steve Miller after President Obama’s address on “A Secure Energy Future”:

“President Obama is right when he says, ‘our best opportunities to enhance our energy security can be found in our own backyard.’ According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United States is a net importer of both crude oil and natural gas, but a net exporter of coal. Other nations clearly see the benefits of enhanced coal use. The International Energy Agency projects that the global growth of coal for electricity generation will more than double the growth of any other fuel over the next decade.

”Coal is a vital national security asset for the United States and our nation has more reserves of recoverable coal within its borders than any other country. As America’s most abundant domestically-produced energy resource, coal generates nearly half of our nation’s electricity. This abundance helps to keep electricity affordable and reliable for millions of American families and businesses.

“Last year, President Obama’s Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage acknowledged the important role coal plays in order to help satisfy our nation’s energy needs, to support economic growth, and to address the challenge of climate change.

“Additionally, coal will help provide the electricity to power a fleet of electric vehicles across the nation—a revolution in transportation that can dramatically reduce imports of foreign energy sources, create good jobs in the U,S., and improve the environment.

“We urge the president to keep these facts about coal’s strategic value squarely before the American people in the public debate about how to create a secure energy future for our country.”