ACCCE Statement Regarding Proposed Oregon State Climate Agenda

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) issued this statement in response to Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski’s state climate change agenda:

“ACCCE expresses deep concern with the governor’s decision to develop emissions standards for new energy production sources, ensuring they be ‘at least as clean as natural gas’. This action would preclude any new coal based electricity power plants from serving Oregon’s growing power needs because at this time the technology to reduce CO2 emissions from coal plants to a level equal to natural gas doesn’t yet exist.

“First and foremost, it is critical that the governor’s standards allow ample time for the continued development and commercial deployment of CO2 reduction technology that addresses its regulations.

“Forcing such regulations in a short time sets the bar too high and establishes limits or timelines that, even with aggressive action, today’s technology can’t meet.

“The coal-based electricity sector has made tremendous progress investing more than $50 billion dollars in technology to reduce emissions. The result has translated into a coal-based generating fleet that is 70 percent cleaner on the basis of regulated emissions per unit of energy produced.

“Second, one state, or even a region, cannot alone adequately address the issue of global climate change.

“Individual state or regional laws such as Oregon’s emission standards create an unnecessary patchwork of requirements that will be both ineffective in addressing environmental concerns and costly to Oregon consumers.

“By focusing on such programs, there is a strong chance that state and/or regional mandates will conflict with future federal mandates, in essence double taxing states where local mandates reside. This would result in increased economic hardship for the working families of Oregon.

“Instead, ACCCE believes a single federal program is much easier to adapt inside and outside the United States to address what is a global challenge.

“Third, the emissions standards could impede electricity being imported from other states if that electricity fails to meet Oregon’s regulations. This would require Oregon to narrow its energy portfolio, and in many cases, increasing its reliance on fuels both volatile and in short supply. The result would be increased hardship on Oregon families through higher electricity costs.

“There are better ways states can continue environmental progress and address climate change without harming the economy, including increasing energy efficiency programs and funding advanced clean coal technology that can achieve real and measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions without putting Oregon’s economy at risk and forcing its families to face a huge increase in electricity costs or even service interruptions.

“ACCCE urges the governor to weight the impacts these standards have on both the working families of Oregon and the continued development and deployment of clean coal technology.”

About ACCCE

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) is a non-profit, non-partisan partnership of companies involved in producing electricity from coal. Because coal is America’s most abundant energy resource, ACCCE supports energy policies that balance coal’s vital role in meeting our country’s growing need for affordable and reliable electricity with the need to protect the environment. ACCCE also advocates for the development and deployment of advanced clean coal technologies that will produce electricity with near-zero emissions. Headquartered in Alexandria, VA, ACCCE has more than 40 members that represent more than $190 billion in annual revenues and employ more than 360,000 Americans. For more information, visit www.cleancoalusa.org or www.americaspower.org.