Climate Change

Coal will continue to play a vital role in meeting energy needs and its abundance and use in the United States helps to insure our national energy security.  Members of CURC recognize that there is a growing belief among policymakers that reductions of greenhouse gases are necessary to address the global issue of climate change.  Technologies must be available to insure that U.S. coal resources continue to meet energy needs while cost-effectively reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Technology also will play a crucial role worldwide as the demand for energy from coal grows rapidly.  CURC has issued a set of climate principles that ensures technology is the primary enabler to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while providing low cost and carbon friendly electricity from coal. 

CURC-EPRI Roadmap

Fossil Energy Appropriations

In order to achieve the challenging CO₂ emission reduction schedules that have been discussed in Congress, much more significant levels of funding for coal-related technology development, demonstration and deployment will be required, and a multi-year commitment from the federal government is needed that industry can rely upon.  CURC believes Congress should consider funding programs for multiple years through advance appropriations, and that funding for the DOE Clean Coal Power Initiative should be increased in order to support large scale carbon capture and storage technology demonstrations.  CURC is advocating for increased coal RD&D funding in the House and Senate FY 2013 Energy & Water Appropriations measures.  Last year, CURC drafted and submitted testimony  to the House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee with specific funding needs and recommendations for the DOE coal programs. 

Congressional Advocacy

CURC annually conducts staff briefings in both the House and Senate to provide Congressional staff with information about coal, its availability, the challenges to its use, the technologies that will insure its continued use in a cost effective and environmentally-acceptable manner and the role government might play in insuring its continued use.  This year, CURC is conducting a briefing for both House and Senate that will focus on the state of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology development. 

In the past, several organizations sponsored a similar set of Congressional briefings, including the American Public Power Association, Association of American Railroads, Edison Electric Institute, Electric Power Research Institute, Electric Power Supply Association, National Mining Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, United Mine Workers of America, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

CURC staff also regularly participates in educational meetings and briefings with staff from House and Senate offices and Committees, the Administration, state governments and other interest groups to discuss clean coal issues.  Last year CURC was asked to participate in several advocacy forums with Members and their staff in developing legislation that embodied the Coal w/ CCS Program©. In April 2010, CURC participated in a congressional hearing held by the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee about draft legislation circulated by Senators Rockefeller (D-WV) and Voinovich (R-OH) that encompassed all elements from CURC’s Coal w/ CCS Program©.  In July 2010, the two Senators formally introduced the bill. This education is important in insuring the industry message for clean coal technologies continues to be heard by those in Washington developing the policies that affect how coal is used.  Members of CURC also provide input and materials to help develop the message that CURC delivers to legislators on Capitol Hill.

Membership Meetings

Every year CURC hosts two General Membership Meetings to discuss the status of CURC activities and how CURC should position itself with respect to technology development programs and activities.  Representatives from nearly all of our 50 member companies attend these meetings, which are chaired by Duke Energy and Alpha Natural Resources., CURC’s 2011 Co-chairs.  These meetings provide attendees with a forum to exchange views as well as provide various perspectives about the way that technology might be utilized to meet our Nation's energy and environmental needs.  They also provide a venue for CURC to conduct official business and outline strategies and activities for proposed CURC initiatives. 

Every March, CURC hosts a two day workshop with the Department of Energy and National Energy Technology Laboratory program managers and selected members of CURC to discuss in detail the DOE coal RD&D programs.  Members of the CURC Steering Committee participate in these small, intimate meetings in order to gain a sense of how the DOE programs align with technology development goals identified in the CURC-EPRI Roadmap and to discuss how industry and DOE can further mutual technology development goals. 

Twice a month, CURC holds a Government Affairs Subcommittee meeting in Washington to discuss the status of CURC initiatives with Congress and the Administration among the Washington Representatives of the CURC member companies.  These meetings provide a forum to discuss legislative developments and to coordinate our advocacy resources on issues important to our collective membership.

Development of Helpful Tools and Information

CURC has drafted a number of 'Issue Briefs' on various clean coal incentive programs that have been prepared to assist CURC members in identifying opportunities at the federal state level for the development of clean coal projects.  

Other useful tools and information are continuously developed by our staff, including a list and description of energy legislation that has been introduced in this Congress that affect the use of coal, bill analysis and reporting, and the development of presentations, charts and other useful tools that help CURC members in their continued advocacy efforts.