News for the Governors: Clean Coal Is a Myth

Re “Energy in a New Light,” Editorial, June 24: All of us should be pleased to see the Western Governors Assn. support clean, renewable energy resources. But if indeed its goal is, as stated, to include solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and clean coal in order to respond to dwindling supplies of hydrocarbon energy, then alarms are ringing. Coal is renewable? Coal is not hydrocarbon? Coal is clean?

In 35 years as an engineer in the energy field, I am amazed at the progress made in solar, wind, geothermal and biomass technologies. Although still costly, these will be seeing more widespread application. Clean coal technology does not exist. There is no demonstrated way to avoid emission of greenhouse gases when burning coal. There is no way to mine coal and avoid the scars on the land.

Dan Allen

La Jolla