The problem is, most coal is too full of sulfur to meet present environmental standards. Laws in an increasing number of cities will not permit coal with a sulfur content of more than 1 percent to be burned. That is why more and more communities are replacing coal in power generating plants with the less polluting fuels, oil and natural gas. Contrary to what some persons seem to think, man simply does not have the know-how to remove sulfur pollutants from coal or oil. President Nixon in his June 4, 1971, energy message explained:

“A major bottleneck in our clean energy program is the fact that we cannot now burn coal or oil without discharging its sulfur content into the air. We need new technology which will make it possible to remove the sulfur before it is emitted to the air.”

Thus, while acknowledging the seriousness of the fossil-fuel shortage, S. David Freeman, former energy adviser to President Nixon, observed:

“The exhaustion of energy resources is not itself apt to be the crux of the problem. . . . The quantities of carbon monoxide, small particulate matter and other potential pollutants projected over the next two decades are so large as to suggest the possibility of fundamental changes in our environment.”