Byron Dorgan: “Increasing the supply of energy in this country does not have to be at odds with protecting and preserving a good…”

“Increasing the supply of energy in this country does not have to be at odds with protecting and preserving a good environment. It just does not. We have had experience with this in North Dakota. Some 25 years ago, the proposals to build coal-fired electric generating plants in our State produced a great deal of controversy. I was one in the State capital who led the fight saying if we are going to build coal-fired generating plants, then you must provide the latest available technology on those stacks. We must have wet scrubbers and the latest available technology to scrub down those emissions. The industry was furious with me because I led a vigorous fight and we built those plants in North Dakota. But they did it and they had to have latest available technology scrubbers on their stacks. When they strip-mined to get the coal, they had to segregate top soil and do layers and topography restoration. They did not like it. But guess what. We did it the right way. Mr. President, 25 years later, looking in the rear-view mirror, they would all agree that was the right thing to do. We were the first State in the Union to meet the ambient air quality standards. We now have segregated top soil and topography restored on strip-mined lands of which we are proud. You can do this the right way.”