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February 2017 In This Issue
Association News
Industry News
Training and Education
Calendar of Events
American Coal Magazine
Technology / R&D
Association News
 
The three R's refers to the elements of a basic scholastic program – reading, writing, and arithmetic. The reference purportedly originated almost two hundred years ago. Since then, according to Wikipedia, the term has been used in various contexts to describe other trifecta. 

In the aftermath of the historic election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, the trifecta for coal is this: reset, re-balance and restore. 

As the new pro-energy administration and the 115th Congress take up their posts, we invite you to join us at Spring Coal Forum as our speakers examine the drivers and strategies to reset, re-balance and restore coal in the context of policy, regulation, markets, and technology.

Our Wednesday, March 8, Keynote address will feature Stephen Moore, Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Project for Economic Growth, The Heritage Foundation. Mr. Moore will discuss the outlook for economic and energy policy from the vantage point of his experiences as economic adviser to the Trump campaign and to President Trump.  
We’ll also have a session on coal policy and regulation that will address regulatory relief for coal featuring: 
  • Michael J. Nasi, Partner, Environmental & Legislative Practice Group, Jackson Walker L.L.P.
  • Randy Eminger, Executive Director, Energy Policy Network
  • M. Shane Harvey, Member, Jackson Kelly PLLC
All this and much more is in store for Spring Coal Forum as we gather at the new Opal Sands Resort!

For hotel information, click here and be sure to reserve by February 14!

For sponsorship opportunities, click here
 
Have you checked out the ACC’s social media outlets lately?
 



Please be sure to follow @AmericanCoal. Tweet "shout outs" and links to @AmericanCoal, along with coal-related hashtags: #coal, #climate, #CCS, #CCT, etc.

 
Please be sure to like and share ACC’s page and posts with your company and personal accounts.

If your company has tech or social media savvy employees, or employees with graphic design capabilities who are willing to donate time to help prepare infographics, social media posts, write articles, etc., please let the ACC know – info@americancoalcouncil.org
 
Each year we publish a Membership Directory with contact information for each of our member companies.

As a benefit of membership, we make this Directory available for ACC members to download (in PDF format). Click here or on the graphic below to download the 2016 Membership Directory.

As the Membership Directory is a membership benefit, we ask that you please refrain from sharing this file with anyone outside of your own organization.
 
The ACC's 2015 Tomorrow's Leadership Council recently developed a "Coal Communications Kit" to help coal advocates educate, inform, build bridges, and counter misinformation about coal. This document provides ideas and information that coal industry employees and others can use to improve communications and relations with others in the public realm.

Whether you're on an airplane, at a business or community event, or seeking to inform relatives and friends, coal advocates now have useful facts and information to assist them in communicating the importance, value, and benefits of coal in U.S. energy production.
 
 
The Coal Communications Kit describes
  1. Technological improvements in the coal industry
  2. Airborne emissions and emissions reduction
  3. Scalability of coal as an energy resource
  4. Comparisons of coal vs. other fuels/energy resources
  5. Coal’s role in grid reliability
  6. Climate change
  7. Costs of not using coal
  8. Coal's role in international trade
  9. Impacts of mining coal
  10. Coal and resource depletion
  11. EPA regulations
  12. Pollution in China
The Coal Communication Kit provides ready responses to commonly held negative notions about coal. It offers convenient "elevator speeches", Facebook posts, and Tweets, as well as more detailed information and resources.

We’re confident coal advocates will find this information useful and easy to share. Be sure to check out the Coal Communications Kit, use it in your discussions with friends, the media, elected officials, and others. Then, please be sure to share the Coal Communications Kit on your social media accounts. Spread the information around so everyone can access it!
 
Thank you to our Champion Sponsors!!
 
 


Thank you to our Patron Sponsors!!

      

 

You are invited to join an exclusive group of American Coal Council (ACC) member companies who have elevated their level of commitment to the ACC through their Annual Sponsorship support. In doing so, these companies have also gained recognition as industry leaders in supporting the ACC’s objective to advance the development and utilization of coal as an economic, abundant and environmentally sound fuel source.

Click here to learn more about the benefits and opportunities associated with an annual ACC sponsorship.
 
Industry News
 
   
By Joseph Hammond
Long synonymous with oil, Texas has a new distinction - home to the world's largest clean coal plant.

The $1 billion project southwest of Houston allows a 240-megawatt (equivalent) coal-fired power plant to capture about 90 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions for use in enhanced oil recovery. This produces significant reductions in greenhouse gasses associated with climate change.

The project is a joint venture between NRG, the largest independent power producer in the United States, and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration, the largest Japanese oil company. The Department of Energy spent $190 million to support the development of the technology.
 
 
   
By Naureen Malik and Alix Steel
U.S. power generator Dynegy Inc. sees coal regaining some market share as President-elect Donald Trump promises to put more miners back to work

"Certainly more coal is good for us" and helps make coal-fired plants more profitable when natural gas and electricity prices rise, Dynegy Chief Executive Officer Robert Flexon said in a Bloomberg Television interview with Alix Steel Wednesday. He doesn’t see the economics shifting enough to spur the construction of new coal-generating capacity. Rather, any gains would be through existing coal plants taking market share away from natural gas and, possibly, nuclear, he said.
 
 
   
By Houston (Platts)
The U.S. will burn and produce more coal this year than in 2016, the Energy Information Administration said Tuesday.

In its first Short-Term Energy Outlook of the year, the EIA estimates electric power sector coal consumption will increase by 6 percent, or 41 million st, year over year to 720 million st on higher natural gas prices and increased electricity generation.

The agency said the Henry Hub natural gas spot price should average $3.55/MMBtu in 2017, up more than $1 from $2.51/MMBtu in 2016. Consumption is estimated to have fallen 8 percent, or 60 million st, in 2016 to 678.7 million st.
 
 
   
The United States has been a global economic leader since the end of World War II. Our skills, innovation and research and development capabilities have kept America at the forefront of new technologies for decades. This has allowed us to outpace our economic rivals and dominate valuable markets.

The renewable energy sector provides a good case in point. The development of geothermal, wind, solar and water energy sources have broadened the domestic energy supply and positioned the U.S. as a world leader in this arena. Why are we not putting that same focus on new clean coal technologies? It is one of our most important homegrown sources of energy, and, despite popular perception, still abundant.

Unfortunately, despite its low cost and capability to produce jobs, coal has been recast in the American mindset as old-fashioned and damaging to the environment. Those who speak favorably of clean coal technology are typically branded as behind the times or dismissive of long-term planetary health. Shaming has become a potent weapon for those who want to shut down intellectual discourse on the positive role of fossil fuels in America’s energy future.
 
 
   
By John Siciliano
The countdown has begun on Capitol Hill to dig out from under the Obama administration's environmental regulations, now that President Trump, who has vowed to repeal a number of regulations in his first 100 days, has moved into the Oval Office.

The Republican-controlled Congress needs to move quickly to head off two regulations that the GOP leadership has targeted for repeal: a rule imposing big restrictions on coal mining and another for regulating oil drillers' methane emissions.
 
 
   
GILLETTE, Wyoming (BUSINESS WIRE)–Cloud Peak Energy Inc. Antelope Mine recently received the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Industry Reclamation Wildlife Stewardship Award. The mine, located in Northeastern Wyoming, was recognized for its successful efforts to promote population numbers of Golden Eagles and other raptors through habitat enhancement and use of effective protection measures, including rescuing a young eaglet that was later released at the mine following rehabilitation.
 
 
   
Coal-fired power plants provide what is known as base-load power. Base-load refers to electricity sources that can operate 24/7. These plants provide reliable power to maintain a large-scale electrical grid and generally shut down only for scheduled maintenance or emergency repairs. Base-load plants are also able to be dispatched. Their output can be adjusted as electricity demand rises and falls. Intermittent sources, such as wind and solar are at not able to be dispatched and are undependable on cloudy days, at night, and when the wind is not blowing. Coal-fired power plants also provide reserve capabilities so the grid remains reliable even when intermittent sources are not available.
 
Training and Education
"Winds of Change in Washington, D.C. – 
Implications for Coal"

Scott Segal, Partner, Bracewell LLP

Wednesday, February 22, 2017
2-3 p.m. Eastern
Register Today:  http://www.etouches.com/226593   


There is no charge for members of the
American Coal Council, but pre-registration is required.
Non-members may register for a fee of $50.
Space is limited to the first 50 registrants. Register TODAY!
 
Calendar of Events

 

 Mark your calendars for these upcoming 2017 ACC events:
  • Spring Coal Forum — March 7-9, 2017, Sandpearl Resort (Clearwater, Florida) 
  • Coal Market Strategies — August 14-16, 2017, Stein Erikson Lodge (Park City, Utah)
  • Coal Trading Conference with CTA — December 4-5, 2017, Crowne Plaza Times Square (New York, NY)
Be sure to watch the events page on the ACC website for registration and event information for our conferences and monthly webcast programs.
 
American Coal Magazine

 
The fall edition of the American Coal magazine, published by the American Coal Council is now available. 

If you are interested in obtaining a free digital copy please click the on the link above. 
 
The American Coal Council and Naylor Association Solutions have partnered together to provide the American coal industry with a wide variety of print, digital, and online advertising opportunities.

Be sure to check out our Media Guide & Rate Card with all the information that you need to advertise in any of our publications.

Remember that ACC Members receive a 10 percent discount on all advertising rates listed in our Media Guide.

Please contact Betsy Monseu, ACC CEO at 202.756.4540 / bmonseu@americancoalcouncil.org or Anthony Land, Project Leader at Naylor Association Solutions 352.333.3454 / aland@naylor.com with any advertising questions.
 
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