The conference is being will by the US Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee.

 

On the table for discussion will be the likely future scenarios for the role of coal-fired generation in the US; environmental and regulatory challenges; financial and technological improvements; and transportation and transmission infrastructure.

 

The information gathered at the conference from industry experts and public interest groups will underpin the writing of an energy bill, which president George Bush in his State of the Union speech urged Congress to quickly pass.

 

President Bush this week sent a Budget Request for financial year 2006 for programs and agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction.

 

Committee chairman Pete Domenici said it was time to pass an energy bill that provides for increased domestic production of oil, more renewable energy and the development of clean-coal technologies and hydrogen-powered cars.

 

“Now, Congress must pass an energy bill that incorporates those initiatives and more. We must pass a bill that expands our use of clean and safe nuclear power and modernizes our electricity grid, as the President urged in his speech last week. I agree with President Bush. Four years of debate is indeed enough. It’s time to pass an energy bill,” he said.

 

Domenici said the budget laid an important foundation for the energy bill work.