Interactions among the National Energy Plan and the President's Environmental Message: the Coal Conversion Regulatory Program

The NEP calls for significant expansion of the use of coal--by 400 million tons per year by 1985--under the proposed coal conversion regulatory program. About half of that expansion is expected without the Plan; the other half will require measures called for in the Plan. To permit this much expansion and to protect environmental quality, three conditions will have to be met: Best available control technology (BACT) will be required for all new facilities; existing facilities must install equipment to meet current limits on emissions; and all pollution control equipment will have to be operated and maintained properly. A failure to meet any one condition will lead to a deterioration in environmental quality. Regional variations are extremely important. States in the Southwest and far West will be affected more than the average by increased emissions and in the South and Southwest by the cost of the coal conversion program, which may be a real burden on the affected industries, and will occur largely in this region.