A West Virginia Senate Committee this week discussed options for the coming transition of the state's economy away from coal according to a report by West Virginia Public Radio.
Senator Ron Stollings (D-Boone), who chairs the committee, told fellow members:
“At some point in time we’re going to have to transition in some way from being so dependent on coal to a more diverse economy,” he said. “If nothing else comes out of this committee, it might just be shining some light on that aspect, and maybe a resolution to continue to study.”
Items discussed included outdoor tourism, hydroelectric power, and energy from woody biomass.
Curiously, given that the context for the discussion was the need to face the reality of a declining coal resource in the region, committee members also discussed the potential of advanced coal technologies like carbon capture and sequestration and coal-to-liquids.
