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Virginia's air quality became dramatically cleaner over the past decade due to the installation of modern emission-control technologies on coal-based power plants and reduced emissions from motor vehicles and other sources.
Nationally, while the use of electricity has tripled since the mid 1970s, regulated emissions decreased by more than 80 percent because of industry's $90 billion investment in clean coal technologies.
Further air quality gains will occur over the next decade as a result of Virginia's 2006 Clean Smoke Stacks Act and new EPA air quality regulations.
Coal provides about 50 percent of Virginia's electricity. More than 40 percent
Coal-based electricity also provides substantial economic benefits in the form of increased household incomes, higher state GDP, and jobs.
A study of the benefits of coal-based generation by Penn State University estimates the total economic benefits of coal-based electricity at the regional and state levels.
Using a range of future energy price projections, they estimated that coal-based electricity in Virginia in 2015 will provide:
$11 billion to $16 billion in increased economic output.
$4 to $7 billion in increased household earnings.
69,000 to 112,000 additional jobs.
Because all businesses rely on electricity, the value of the economic power of coal-based energy extends far beyond the generation and sale of electricity.
If coal were not available, utilities would use more-expensive fuels such as natural gas. The higher costs of electricity would reduce household earnings, output, and jobs.
By the same token, the savings realized from using coal to make electricity increase
Cathy Coffey
Alexandria
The writer is a communications director with
