Lt. Governor: Lignite exploration 'essential' | News

Lt. Governor Mark A. Darr sent the following statement to Today's THV:

This week I wanted to talk to you about an economic issue on which I have been focused.  We have a real need for new energy sources in this country right now and I believe that our state has a great deal of potential in contributing to that need.

If you’re not familiar with lignite, it is a low-grade form of coal.  Researchers have confirmed that Arkansas has at least four billion recoverable tons of lignite available and possibly as much as nine billion tons.  As of now, these resources are untapped.  It is just sitting in the ground.  The bulk of our reserves are estimated to lie in a triangle that extends from Texarkana over to Crossett and up into Saline County. 

Lignite is typically recovered through surface mining and burned to make electricity.  However, new technologies are being developed to turn lignite coal into synthetic fuels, which adds an enormous amount of economic value to this resource.  Micro-refineries can be placed at a mine and the lignite can be converted to crude oil right on-site.  The oil could then be put into tanker trucks and taken to a refinery, such as the Lion Oil refinery in El Dorado, and developed into diesel fuel and other chemical products.  The amount of supply we have would last for generations into the future.

People are often concerned with the prospect of surface mining because it disturbs the land and there are preconceptions about its affect on the environment.  It’s right that people have these concerns, but let me tell you, I can assure you that the environmental considerations in these operations are extensive.  I’ve seen it firsthand.

After mining, the companies do not just leave the land bare.  They meticulously restore the soil and replant vegetation and can design a landscape according to the landowner’s specifications.  As the land is reclaimed, it often results in an ecosystem that is even better than it was before.  I would have never known that the reclaimed land that I saw had been mined unless someone had told me.

South Arkansas needs jobs.  We can do better economically in this state, but we must have the will to do what is needed.  Mississippi, Texas, and North Dakota all currently mine their lignite resources and have reaped the economic benefits of doing so.  Why shouldn’t we?  We have a domestic source of energy available and we need to promote it. 

Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia has established a lignite research center to document the extent and test the quality of our lignite deposits.  To properly develop and market this resource, more exploration is essential. 

Arkansas has moved forward in recent years thanks to the natural gas industry and its involvement in the Fayetteville Shale.  This has created economic opportunities in North Central Arkansas for thousands of people.  I want to see a similar economic boom in South Arkansas.

This isn’t about politics.  This is about doing what’s good for America.  We can’t keep depending on dictators in South America and the Middle East for our energy.  I have been told that if our lignite reserves were used, not for electricity, but were converted into crude oil, we would have the potential to replace the amount of oil our country imports from Chavez’s Venezuela.  With a pro-active and responsible approach to energy development, Arkansas can help put America on the path to energy independence.