all states represents one of the foun dations for a significant improvement of their mutual relations, and of in ternational scientific cooperation at all levels." Implementation and enforcement are a much more difficult question. But Handler hopes that the Soviet delegation will transmit the criticisms and deep concern of western scien tists to Soviet leaders. D
Group pushes coal to replace foreign oil The President's Commission on Coal has come out strongly in favor of substituting U.S. coal for imported oil. And, it maintains that the change can be done economically and with out damaging the environment. The commission holds that the most practical way sharply to reduce levels of imported oil is through ac celerated construction of coal-fired utility and industrial boilers and reconverting boilers capable of burning coal to that fuel. At least 114 electric utility plants that were de signed to burn coal but now are using oil or gas have been identified by the commission. It estimates a savings of more than 2 million bbl of oil per day by 1990 if these recommendations are followed. Four actions are suggested by the commission. These are a ban on oil and natural gas use in coal-capable Utility boilers, a mandatory 60% re duction in utility oil and natural gas use, a ban on oil and natural gas use in coal-capable industrial boilers, and a ban on oil and natural gas use in new large industrial boilers. Although legislation has been in effect since 1974 requiring the con version of utility and industrial boil ers to coal, little has actually been done. The largest conversion so far has been that of New England Pow er's Brayton Point station late last year. Numerous loopholes for utilities and lengthy litigation have tied up the program. Not the least of the problems has been bringing coal-fired boilers into compliance with air pol lution regulations. The coal commission claims that the U.S. can burn more coal while remaining in compliance with the Clean Air Act, and without increasing pollutants linked with acid rain. The commission believes that emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulates can be held to the same levels under its accelerated plan as under current U.S. policy. It main tains that any increase in emissions from existing plants converted to coal would be offset by construction of 8
C&EN March 10, 1980
new plants meeting the Environ mental Protection Agency's more stringent new source performance standards. There is some disagreement on this point, however. A statement issued jointly by the United Mine Workers of America, National Coal Associa tion, American Mining Congress, and the Bituminous Coal Operators' As sociation, although certainly en couraging greater use of coal, says that it will require revision of some environmental laws. Some of the recommendations from the coal industry were the same as those of the President's commis sion, such as generating more indus trial use of coal and stopping the In terstate Commerce Commission's practice of imposing "dispropor tionate" rates on railroad coalhauling. However, the President's commis sion also calls for more work on im proving the safety of coal mines and says that the traditional distrust be tween coal miners and coal manage ment must be set aside. The com mission studied the living conditions of coal miners and found that they had improved significantly during the past decade. It cautions, however, that expanded coal production would compound lingering social problems and create new ones. The commission's recommenda tions have been taken seriously by President Carter, who last week asked
Air emissions need not rise as more coal is used Millions of tons
Sulfur oxides Electric utilities Industrial Other sources3 Nitrogen oxides Electric utilities Industrial Other sources0 Particulates Electric utilities Industrial Other sources0
Present program 1990
Accelerated program 1990
30.85 23.25 3.13 4.47 17.07 9.02 1.44 6.61 7.95 1.39 0.63 5.93
30.84 23.00 3.37 4.47 17.06 8.90 1.55 6.61 7.91 1.34 0.64 5.93
ι
a Primarily nonferrous metals, b Primarily auto exhaust, c Primarily fugitive emissions. Sources: Energy & En vironmental Analysis, IFC, Coal & Electric Utilities Model, Department of Energy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Environment, and President's Com mission on Coal
Congress for $10 billion to fund a program to save 1 million bbl of oil per day by 1990 through utilities' converting to coal. The program in cludes $3.6 billion for utilities in the Northeast, East, and Midwest to reconvert to coal-first generation of electricity and up to $400 million for air pollution control. Another $6 bil lion would go for conversion of util ities in the Southeast, Southwest, and California that now are not able to burn coal. •
Commerce sets up office to spur innovation The Department of Commerce has I begun implementing its industrial innovation program by establishing an Office of Productivity, Technology & Innovation. The program was an nounced last October by President Carter. The new office will have a variety of functions, including a Center for the Utilization of Federal Technology that will "actively market" federal technology to the private sector, ac cording to Commerce Secretary Philip M. Klutznick. By that, he says, he means much more than sales. He explains that the center will work with the private sector to identify targets with the potential for ad vancing industry's development and its competitive position in world markets. It will market federally owned technologies, and it will work with federal laboratories to assure the transfer of developing and existing technologies that answer industry's needs or provide new opportunities. The new office also will be respon sible for establishing cooperative technology centers to develop specific I
technologies that can have a signifi cant impact on productivity and competitiveness of a wide range of individual firms and industries. Each center will be jointly funded by the public and private sector but will have its research agenda set primarily by the private sector. The centers will provide strategic analysis, support services, and other forms of assistance necessary to incorporate new generic technologies into the business of in dividual firms, Klutznick says. However, he warns, the success of the federal efforts to develop and advance the fundamental technolo gies of industrial production can be measured only by the degree of co operation that can be achieved with the private sector. "This means that we must overcome the adversary re lationship that seems to exist between business and government. Our nation no longer can afford this endemic malady. We can no more afford the enormous waste that results from this polarization than we can afford our nation's wasteful energy habits," he concludes. D
