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C~A~. WEEK <br />iii iiiiiiiiiimiii ~. <br />WAS FI I N GTO N WIRE • POLICY • LEGISLATION • REGULATION <br />DOE SETS GRANTS FOR UNIVERSffY COAL RESEARCH <br />The U.S. Energy Department has selected sixteen teacher/student research teams in 14 states to share $3.8 million in <br />Federal funds [his year to advance the nation's coal-science knowledge base and look for new ways to protect the <br />environment u coal use increases in the future. The winning teams, chosen from a field of nearly 200, were selected in <br />the DOE's annual University Coal Research competition. Soong support (or these research teams, each led by a university <br />or college professor, is evident in the $1.0 million incost-sharing provided by non-Federal sources. <br />DOE's OCfice o(Fossil Energy selected the projects from 197 proposals in seven technical categories, ranging Crom <br />coal to environmental science. Selections were based on technical review by more than 65 academic, industrial and <br />government coal expetu. <br />As part oC the grant requirement, al least one student registered at the university will be involved in conducting the <br />research and will receive compensation from the Federal grant. Since [he program's inception in 1979,approximalely500 <br />research projects have been funded with a total value of more than $87 million. These cost-shared grants have furthered <br />the science oC energy and the environment and provided the financial support for more than 1,200 students to receive <br />science or engineering degrees. <br />One goal is to promote research collaboration between academia and industry, enriching the research experience (or <br />(acuity and students by increasing their exposure to coal science inside-by-side partnerships with the private sector. Two <br />awards this year will go to joint university-industry projects. One will go to the University of Utah, which will work with <br />V irginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Terta Tek Inc., and Cyprus-Amax Coal Co., to develop and test an on- <br />linecoal washability analyur. <br />Brown University wort the second awazd. It will workjointly with Princeton University and New England Power, Inc., <br />to investigate the form, properties, and behavior of organic material in coal-0erived ash. Cost-shari ng of at least 25 percent <br />oC the project's total cost is required (or these projects, which can receive up to $400,000 in Federal funds over <br />three years. <br />An equally important goal of the University Coal Research Program is to promote collaborative research between <br />diverse groups of reseazchers. To help achieve this goal, one grant is being awarded to an Historically Black University. <br />The selected school, Hampton University, is required to perform two-thirds oCthe DOE funded work and have teamed with <br />at least one majority college or university. Hampton will team with the University ofPittsburgh, Research Triangle <br />Institute, Altamira Instruments, Energy International, and United Catalysts, inc., to develop a more durable catalyst for <br />application inprocesses thalconvertcoal-derived synlhesisgas to liquid fuels. Hampton also submitted a winning proposal <br />in the core portion of the program. <br />The majority oCprojects will receive Federal Cundi ng of $100,000 to $200,000 (or up to three years. Actual grant awards <br />are expected to be in place by July. The Department of Energy's Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC) in <br />Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, oversees the program for the Office of Fossil Energy. Synopses o(each of the projects can be <br />obtained by calling PETC at 4171892-6126. Contact: Patrice Leister, Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, 412/892- <br />6126. <br />OSM TO ASSIST COAL BY-PRODUCT RESEARCH EFFORT <br />The U.S. Interior Department's OCfice o(SurCace Mining will join with Southern Illinois University (SIU) to co-sponsor <br />a national forum on coal combustion by-products associated with coal mining. The forum will be held at SIU in Carbondale <br />[Lon October 29-31. <br />"Activities involving coal combustion by-products at surface coal mines throughout the nation are increasing in <br />frequency and scope," noted OSM director Robetr ]. Uram last week. "Innovations in the constructive use of these by- <br />productsare becoming more common both on and off the mine site. For example, usi ng coal ash as a soil condi Boner where <br />apropriate not only disposes of a power plant waste but under certain conditions can also improve the quality o(the soil <br />for plant growth-an important advantage in revegetating reclaimed mined lands;' he added. <br />"Concerns related to publ is safely and protection o(the environment are also being heard more frequently and research <br />into all aspects of by-product use and disposal has been steadily increasing;' he noted. <br />Other sponsors of the forum include the Illinois Clean Coal Institute; the Illionois Office o(~4ines and Minerals, the <br />Indiana Division of Reclamation and Texas Utilities. <br />Under OSM's strategic plan, such technical assistance and technology Transfer is a major objective. "Understanding <br />technical issues and being pari of the process ofdeveloping solutions supports OSM basic mission of ensuring the <br />environment is protected during coal mining and maki ng sure the land is reclaimed after coal is removed; 'noted the agency <br />in a statement. <br />Details regazding the conference are available from Georgia Beasley at 618-453-7916. <br />~:_, <br />e June 24, 7996 COAL WEEK <br />