ACC Members' Update

The American Coal Council and the Coal Trading Association are hosting the 2015 Coal Trading Conference at the New York Marriott Marquis on December 7-8, 2014.

Each year, registrants to this key conference hear speakers and panels discuss trends in the marketplace. As a result of the presentations and networking opportunities, attendees improve their understanding of coal trading issues and facilitate business relationships among the different sectors of the North American coal industry.

Coal is under pressure in the United States, and not the natural kind of pressure involved in its creation from plant material. The pressure coal is under today is of a distinctly unnatural kind, shaped by an increasingly far-reaching and unbalanced regulatory agenda. The energy playing field continues to be tilted away from coal, a primary target of that agenda. Yet coal's leading position as a critical fuel in the electricity marketplace continues. Though its share of that marketplace has generally been trending down over the past several years, coal remains the largest of any fuel source for electric generation. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts coal to retain the leading position in 2015 as well as over the longer term – including a 34 percent share in 2040. 

Article title: Coal's Place in the Energy and Electricity Space 

Reference: ELECTR6182 

Journal title: The Electricity Journal 

Corresponding author: Ms. Betsy Monseu 

First author: Ms. Betsy Monseu 

Final version published online: 3-AUG-2015 Full bibliographic details: The 

Electricity Journal 28 (2015), pp. 104-111 DOI information: 

10.1016/j.tej.2015.06.002

The ACC is considering the possible evolution of our Coal 2.0 Alliance to the "Coal 3.0 Alliance."

We have been receiving an increasing number of contacts and inquiries from developers and other organizations interested in coal conversion technologies. For that reason, we are considering widening the scope and focus of this committee to address enhancing coal efficiency and reducing emissions, whether on a prior-to-consumption basis or by conversion (via coal gasification, liquefaction, etc.)

 

In response to increased interest, we featured a session on coal conversion technologies at our August 10-12, 2015 Coal Market Strategies conference, and are continuing to assess members' interest in this area. If you are interested or have contacts that may be interested in this updated committee, please contact either Betsy Monseu or Jason Hayes at 202-756-4540 or info@americancoalcouncil.org.

 

The ACC would not exist without the support of our members and supporters.

 

Thank you to the folks at Martin Engineering for their long-term support of the ACC through our publications program, our committees, our board of directors, our events, and their ad in this month’s calendar page.

Please be sure to visit Martin Engineering’s website – http://martin-eng.com, or call their offices (800.544.2947) to learn more about their "Walk the Belt" program, or for more information on their company and services.

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.

 

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) will be holding six public hearings on its recently proposed Stream Protection Rule (SPR) "to allow stakeholders an opportunity to give feedback on the rule."

 

See http://www.osmre.gov/resources/newsroom/news/2015/081015.pdf and http://www.osmre.gov/programs/rcm/streamprotectionrule.shtm for more information on the rule and the hearing sessions.

 

The listening sessions will be held:

•  Tuesday, September 1, 2015 - Denver, CO

•  Thursday, September 3, 2015 - Lexington, KY

•  Thursday, September 10, 2015 - St. Louis, MO

•  Thursday, September 10, 2015 - Pittsburgh, PA

•  Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - Big Stone Gap, VA

•  Thursday, September 17, 2015 - Charleston, WV

 

Please be sure to attend a session if possible. Those who are unable to attend one of the listening sessions can submit their comments on the proposed rule via regulations.gov.

 

Register Today: http://www.etouches.com/140064

Planning the permitting and technical aspects of a coal mine or plant development, expansion, or modification project is only part of the approach to gaining approval.

How can companies identify and engage supportive voices in the community in which an expanded presence is the objective? How can they engage mutual stakeholders to address the anti-fossil fuels pressures that can detract from proposals? They must be prepared to launch a data-informed public outreach effort to inform community members of the benefits and to counter anti-development pressure.

Join us as Al Maiorino discusses approaches to successfully prevent costly delays, save millions of dollars in investments, and compel public officials to ultimate approval, including:

•  The right time for employing specific tactics

•  The most effective communications vehicles

•  The right audiences for delivering the messages 

You can also read Al’s articles in American Coal magazine and on the Coalblog.

•  "Why CSR Often Isn’t Enough to Gain Project Approval" 

•  "Coal Energy Must Battle NIMBYism in 2013 With Better Tactics" 

•  "Public Relations vs. Public Affairs" 

•  "Do you have control over NIMBY?" 

Register Today:  http://www.etouches.com/140064

Mark your calendars for these upcoming 2015 ACC events:

• September Coal Q&A Webcast: Getting Local: How to Promote Development and Win Approval – September 24, 2015 ~ 2 pm - 3 pm Eastern

• Coal Trading Conference with CTA – December 7-8, 2015 Marriott Marquis (New York, NY)

• Spring Coal Forum – March 8-10, 2016, Sandpearl Resort, (Clearwater, FL)

Be sure to watch the events page on the new ACC website for registration and event information for our conferences and monthly webcast programs

"EPA down on the MATS"

 

Click here to read the full article on the Coalblog.

"President Obama told America in 2008 that "if you want to build a coal plant, you can, but it will bankrupt you." Now, he is using EPA’s ‘Clean Power Plan’ to hurt the states that generate power largely from coal—states that have the lowest electricity prices in the nation due to their inexpensive and dependable coal-fired generation."

Click here to read the full article on the Coalblog.

 

Here is one example of ACC’s response to misinformation campaigns that are polluting the media with demonstrably false attacks on coal-fueled electricity.

Click here to read the full article on the Coalblog.

As you enter your annual budgeting season, be sure to check out our Media Guide & Rate Card (http://www.naylornetwork.com/mediakits/ccw/), with all the information that you need to advertise in any of our publications.

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

Please contact Jason Hayes, ACC Associate Director at 602-769-3872 / jhayes@americancoalcouncil.org or Anthony Land, Project Leader at Naylor Association Solutions 352-333-3454 / aland@naylor.com with any advertising questions.