Western Coal Planning Assistance Project. Fact Book for Western Coal/Energy Development (Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming)

摘要

The Western Coal Planning Assistance Project (WCPAP) was designed to help state and local planners and decision-makers develop the technical methods and information needed to cope with the problems associated with coal/energy development. Since the United States has begun to move toward conversion of industrial energy resources from oil and natural gas to coal in order to become less dependent on foreign energy sources and with a concurrent commitment to reduce air pollution, development of strippable, low sulphur coal reserves is accelerating. The impacts of this movement are already being felt in the Northern Great Plains and adjacent portions of the Rocky Mountain and Midwestern States, where the Nations largest proven reserves of coal are found. The project encompasses the major coal areas of Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. Funding is being provided by the US Geological Survey's Resource and Land Investigation (RALI) Program through the Missouri River Basin Commission, which is responsible for conduct of the project. The project consists of two major tasks: (1) the development of a Planning Reference System for planners and decision-makers, and (2) a detailed assessment of planning problems and needs in the three states. The latter appears in WCPAP's final report (February, 1979). The Fact Book informs the reader about a wide range of coal-related facts. Among the topics covered in the document are: existing coal fields and mines; coal-related facilities; transportation; legislation; and primary and secondary impacts. (ERA citation 07:050624)