Does coal plant have a future in Illinois

[dereksbicycles]

Illinois coal plants: Ameren, Midwest Generation, Dynegy coal plants struggle to stay afloat - Chicago Tribune

What do you think? I think that our world will go more towards nuclear and less likely use coal in the future. I believe that is for environmental reasons. I see that a lot of people may lose job in coal business. It's not like our parents and grandparents who would work and retain their job forever.

I think that nuclear will grow. People from coal business will have to be trained to work with nuclear. Either that or nuclear companies may just hire their own people to work with nuclear.

 

[diehardbiker]

Richard Nixon signed clean air act of 1974, which includes requirement very expensive filters and stringent emission control on Coal which will become effective when? This January! So coal fired power plant owners have two choices, add emission control system if want remain using coal, or go for cheaper option, convert them into Natural Gas. Natural Gas are not required to have emission control. Residents of West Virginia blamed on who? Of course, you guessed it... Obama! Reality is that Obama have no control over this. So coal miners are standing losing their jobs. It happened in Europe too. They already shut down coal mines for good EVEN though there is plenty of coal.

Problem with coal is that it has real high sulphate and it is environment unfriendly.

 

[sequoias]

Yeah it's gonna cause economic ripples if they shut down lot of coal powerplants. Train carrying coal cars, coal miners, etc etc. I see a lot of train sets carrying coal passing by here. Lots of them in Iowa.

 

[Calvin]

Saw a lot of coal cars along with bunch of freight trains while riding on Amtrak last month.

Yeah it's gonna cause economic ripples if they shut down lot of coal powerplants. Train carrying coal cars, coal miners, etc etc. I see a lot of train sets carrying coal passing by here. Lots of them in Iowa.

 

[sequoias]

Saw a lot of coal cars along with bunch of freight trains while riding on Amtrak last month.

Yeah, some of them are really long! When I was at the railroad crossing, you could feel the locomotive engines rumbling towing lots of freight at about 25-30 mph or so.

 

[dereksbicycles]

SO if those coal businesses go out, then there would be less long train stops, right? Or would it be channeled into something else? You know there would still be long train stops without coals, right??

 

[diehardbiker]

Probably small percentage decrease in rail traffic, but will pick back up.

But for sure big drop in rail traffic in WVA mountains and some PA mountains.

SO if those coal businesses go out, then there would be less long train stops, right? Or would it be channeled into something else? You know there would still be long train stops without coals, right??

 

[Eater of Worlds]

But it's also led to nearly unregulated natural gas fracking, which is causing earthquakes and apparently groundwater contamination (many non-gov't studies have found a connection, but EPA hasn't found it).

 

[diehardbiker]

Lets put this in perspective, which is worse for emission Coal or Natural gas?

Coal has very high sulphate content than Natural gas which cause acid rain. That's how EPA sees it.

But it's also led to nearly unregulated natural gas fracking, which is causing earthquakes and apparently groundwater contamination (many non-gov't studies have found a connection, but EPA hasn't found it).

 

[Foxrac]

Lets put this in perspective, which is worse for emission Coal or Natural gas?

Coal has very high sulphate content than Natural gas which cause acid rain. That's how EPA sees it.

I will pick coal as much worse.

Yes, if you go to China - the acid rain is common and it is part of your life.

 

[Foxrac]

But it's also led to nearly unregulated natural gas fracking, which is causing earthquakes and apparently groundwater contamination (many non-gov't studies have found a connection, but EPA hasn't found it).

Yes but I think gas fracking is no worse than coal.

EPA is currently stick their nose with gas companies and I want fracking to be regulated.