COAL SLURRY PIPELINES AND NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION POLICY: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Transportation of coal slurry by pipeline is a relatively new technology, and the author describes several proposals now being promoted in the USA by which to employ that means to move huge volumes of coal in some instances more than 25 million tons per year distances of a thousand miles or more. Reference is made to legislation which, over the last two years, has been considered in the United States Congress and in certain states by which to grant the power of eminent domain to coal slurry pipelines. Eminent domain is described as the power to condemn, to take an individual's property without his consent, subject to the obligation to pay its fair market value. This paper considers the nature of eminent domain in terms of slurry line operations with reference to the transportation of energy fuels in general and the effects of such operations on natural and economic environments. For example, slurry lines are quoted as being heavy users of water which is extremely scarce in the West. The economics of such operations are critically reviewed. It is considered that the proposal to grant slurry pipelines powers of eminent domain is by no means a simple plan to bring needed competition to the transportation of coal, and that on the contrary it raises a great many complex issues of profound importance to the nation. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  University of British Columbia, Vancouver

  Faculty of Commerce
  Vancouver, British Columbia  Canada 
• Authors:
  • WALKER, J R
• Publication Date: 1976

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 261-271
• Serial:
  • LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION REVIEW
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 4

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Coal; Coal industry; Competition; Economic analysis; Environmental impacts; Freight traffic; Freight transportation; Legislation; Location; Mines; Pipe; Slurry; Slurry pipelines; Socioeconomic factors; Transportation modes
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 1112: Freight transport; 4729: Grout; 1556: Legislation; 9061: Location; 5117: Mine; 3361: Pipe; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Economics; Environment; Freight Transportation; Law; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00159476
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1977 12:00AM