The Senate rejects another two additions coal-to-liquid proposal bill by huge margin amid the growing concern of increasing global warning.
The bill, which proposed to liquefy the coal to meet with the scarcity of petroleum, got sarcasm from the environmentalists. Fuel developers seek a huge federal assistance as they want to develop it an important alternative to petroleum.
Overwhelming proposed bill lost in the ground as senators opposes the bill by a 61 to 33 vote; senators turned back one amendment that would have authorized $200 million to build coal-to-liquid plants and $10 billion in loans to pay for capturing and storing greenhouse gases from the plants. The second measure, defeated 55 to 39, would have created a fuel-mandate program requiring the production of 6 billion gallons of liquid coal fuel by 2022.
Green lobbies are criticizing the coal-to-liquid proposal right from the beginning as such technology produces twice as much greenhouse gas as petroleum-based motor fuels and would greatly expand coal mining. Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute, sarcastically lashes out on the technology by saying that
If you were trying to choose some way to increase global warming emission, coal-to-liquid is what you’d choose
Whereas some senators argued in favor of the bill as United State is battling with growing demand of the fuels. Sen. Robert C. Byrd said that the United States has a huge coal reserve and if it will convert it into oil than it will cheaper that petroleum or natural gas.
Meanwhile, the congress has ask to emphasis on the other renewable energy sources as president Bush has already forth out sates plan to lessen its dependency over the petroleum and by 2020 increase biofuels consumption over petroleum by 20 percent.
Apart from it The Senate Finance Committee also working on the other possible energy sources and providing them additional assistance as committee sent a $32.1 billion tax package to the floor that would create incentives for renewable fuels and alternative vehicles, and pay for them by tightening the tax rules on oil and gas companies.
Among the provisions is an extension of tax incentives for renewable electricity initiatives, including credits for solar, wind and microturbine energy projects. The package also has measures to encourage production of ethanol and other biofuels, increase refinery capacity and refine more fuel from oil shale and tar sands.
Via: Washingtonpost
Comments
If it’s going to affect the environment by increasing global warming, this effort should not be pursued. The best thing we can do for now, while waiting for the development of alternative energy sources, is to get the best gas mileage vehicles around and save as much fuel possible.