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I am writing in response to the article "University-industry team studies coal cleaning methods" (CT, Nov. 28) concerning Virginia Tech's partnership with U.S. and Indian coal-related companies.
This article discussed work of the Tech center for advanced separation technologies, one of several Tech operations doing so-called "clean coal" research.
The article, like much of the rhetoric around the use of "clean coal" as a modern energy solution, gives the impression that a technological remedy will allow the continued mining and burning of coal, without the harm to health and environment that results from the use of coal as fuel today. This line of thinking is misguided and dangerous. Clean energy can never come from coal.
The article mentioned concerns for water quality, yet mountaintop removal mining for coal in this region has buried over 1200 miles of streams. Right in Giles County, one result of this outdated, dirty fuel will pollute groundwater as well as the New River for centuries if AEP and partners build the proposed "fly ash" dump.
There is no safe and "clean" way to extract coal to meet today's demand domestically or in India, China and other countries rushing to join the coal-powered economy. (Appalachia alone has lost over one million acres to surface mining for coal).
As Tech advances as a top research university, it has a responsibility to innovate for a real sustainable future. Tech must use its influence here and abroad to develop demand-side energy solutions.
The building trades are the biggest industry consumers of electricity, giving Tech real potential to be a leader for change with implementation of lower-impact materials and methods.
We all need to stop the proposed power plant on the Tech campus, the misdirected "carbon capture" research and the U.S. "coal rush." Tech must not continue to partner with dirty coal. Let's work to keep it in the ground where it belongs.
Erin Mckelvy
alumna, class of '04
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Gotcha. We are responsible for innovation, but we have to innovate a cleaner power production method before we can innovate a cleaner power production method. I'm all for environmentally friendly procedures, but I think it foolish to assert that we can just 'come up with something better' without using the environmental capital we currently have.
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