September 24, 2002

NMA PRESIDENT JACK GERARD SAYS CONGRESS MUST ACT NOW TO ENSURE NATION'S FUTURE ENERGY NEEDS

For Immediate Release

For Additional Information
Carol Raulston, (202) 463-2610

National Mining Association (NMA) President Jack Gerard today emphasized, "The United States Congress needs to act now on energy legislation if we're going to meet an expected growth of more than 43 percent in demand for electric power through 2020." In remarks before Energy Summit 2002: Ensuring America's Energy Supply, Gerard noted that coal provides more than 51 percent of our power and will continue to be the largest single component of the nation's electricity supply mix for the foreseeable future.

In addition to meeting the nation's electricity needs, Gerard said, "We also must meet the public's expectations for sound environmental performance. Key provisions of the pending energy bill will foster the spread of advanced Clean Coal Technologies - directing research toward much higher efficiencies in generation and the industry's objective of achieving zero emissions from coal based power generation."

Turning to current international concerns, Gerard pointed to recent findings of the National Research Council that found coal to be the energy source least vulnerable to terrorists attack. "America's coal is one of the world's great energy treasures - containing almost four times the energy of Saudi Arabia's oil and nine times that of Iraq."

"If we are to utilize fully coal's potential to reliably and affordably meet America's energy needs - providing lower cost and increasingly cleaner power to consumers and businesses - Congress needs to pass a comprehensive energy bill before leaving to campaign for reelection," Gerard concluded.