PRINTER'S NO. 1860
No. 117 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY PETRARCA, J. L. WRIGHT, BELFANTI, TELEK AND
McCALL, JULY 5, 1983
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS, JULY 5, 1983
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Urging the President to create an Office of Special Assistant to
2 the President for Coal.
3 WHEREAS, At this time of national concern over the present
4 and future energy source supplies, the development of America's
5 coal resources is of utmost importance to the country and the
6 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in order to achieve energy
7 independence and economic well-being; and
8 WHEREAS, Coal is one of this country's and this
9 Commonwealth's most abundant yet underdeveloped natural
10 resource, the Commonwealth containing virtually all of the
11 Nation's supply of anthracite coal; and
12 WHEREAS, The demand for United States coal is expected to
13 rise rapidly, with estimates by the National Coal Association
14 that the foreign demand for United States coal will double by
15 1990; and
16 WHEREAS, The domestic demand for coal will continue to grow
17 as the price of alternative fuels continues to rise as evidenced
1 by the shortfall of anthracite coal in the northeastern states
2 of the country during the winter of 1980-1981 and by the recent
3 increases in the price of natural gas; and
4 WHEREAS, The recent decline in the world price of crude oil
5 may lead to the erroneous perception that the development of the
6 Nation's coal resources is no longer necessary; and
7 WHEREAS, The development of the coal resources of this
8 country and this Commonwealth are constrained by:
9 (1) confusing regulation of coal mining and land
10 reclamation;
11 (2) inconsistent industry regulation among the various
12 states and between the states and the Federal Government;
13 (3) sometimes unrealistic, erratic and unequally applied
14 clean air standards; and
15 (4) an inadequate and deteriorating regional and
16 national coal transportation system; and
17 WHEREAS, The coal industry is currently affected by numerous
18 regulatory and policymaking bodies including the National
19 Security Council, the Federal Rail Administration, the Federal
20 Highway Administration, the Maritime Administration, the Army
21 Corps of Engineers, the Economic Regulatory Administration, the
22 Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Bureau of Mines, the
23 Office of Surface Mining, the Environmental Protection Agency,
24 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Departments
25 of Commerce and Energy and in most cases, individual states have
26 counterpart agencies also impacting on the coal industry;
27 therefore be it
28 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
29 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania finds that the immediate and
30 speedy development of our abundant coal resources is vital to
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1 the economic and energy security of this country and this
2 Commonwealth, and that such development cannot be accomplished
3 without the coordination of the regulatory and policymaking
4 functions of the many agencies interfaced with the coal
5 industry; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly feels that the importance
7 of the development of the coal industry in the country and the
8 Commonwealth should be a matter of national concern and
9 awareness and should be given high priority as part of the
10 country's response to the energy resource problems and, the
11 General Assembly concurs with the position of Pennsylvania's
12 United States Senator H. John Heinz, Chairman of the Senate Coal
13 Caucus, that coordination of governmental efforts to resolve the
14 problems of coal industry can only be accomplished through the
15 Office of the President which is the only office with the
16 necessary breadth and jurisdiction to effectively assist this
17 vital energy industry; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly urge the President of the
19 United States to create, within the White House, the Office of
20 Special Assistant to the President for Coal; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
22 the President of the United States, each member of the Senate
23 and House of Representatives in Congress from the Commonwealth
24 and the members of the Coal Caucus of the United States Senate
25 and the United States House of Representatives.
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