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Fossil Fuels: Commercializing Clean Coal Technologies

RCED-89-80 Published: Mar 29, 1989. Publicly Released: Apr 12, 1989.
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Highlights

In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Energy's (DOE) implementation of its Clean Coal Technology Program, focusing on: (1) the DOE process for negotiating cooperative agreements with project sponsors; (2) DOE changes to the project; (3) status of funded projects; and (4) interrelationships between acid rain control and commercialization of clean coal technologies.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should work closely with the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to ensure that the proposed legislation that is submitted for congressional consideration appropriately links compliance dates for emissions reductions with the expected commercial availability of emerging clean coal technologies.
Closed – Implemented
DOE held briefing sessions to familiarize EPA regional offices with the Clean Coal Technology Program, major policy meetings between the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator, EPA, and in depth working sessions involving DOE, EPA, and others in which key features of the Administration's acid rain control proposal were formulated.

Full Report

Full Report (46 pages)

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Topics

Natural Resources and Environment
Air pollution controlCoal resourcesCooperative agreementsCost sharing (finance)Environmental monitoringEnvironmental researchFuel researchProposed legislationProprietary dataTechnology transfer