EPILOG1 I SI MMARY 01 CHAPTERS 1Q27 



of the high incidence of nonpulmonary diseases among coal miners, 

 and the environmental effects of coal mining. The subcommittee suc- 

 ceeded in line-iteming the numerous features of the fossil fuels R. &. D. 

 authorization, including funding for live coal liquefaction plants, a 

 clean boiler fuel demonstration plant, and additional R. <S: D. in four 

 different methods of converting coal to liquids for energy. The sub- 

 committee also supported expansion of research in magnetohydro- 

 dynamics, oil shale, coal combustion, methods of recovery of oil and 

 gas, methanol, gasohol, and tluidized-bed technology for coal. 



A Senate plan for loan guarantees for synthetic fuels was embraced 

 by the Ford administration, but later defeated in the House in both 

 1975 and 1976. Hechler contended that insufficient attention had been 

 focused on the community impacts of the plan, and Ottinger led the 

 opposition in 1976 on environmental grounds and the subsidies to large 

 energy companies. Hechler suggested that the proper approach would 

 be either to expand the existing Federal expenditures to bring the 

 synthetic fuels plants to commercialization, or else to exercise a firmer 

 control in the public interest such as in the World War II synthetic 

 rubber program. The issue split the committee, and Teague, 

 McCormack, Fuqua, and a majority of the committee favored the 

 svnthetic fuels loan guarantee proposals. The advocates contended 

 that the opportunity should be seized when it presented itself, since 

 time was of the essence in the energy crisis. 



The supporters also stressed that any environmental, community 

 impact or other problems could be identified and then corrected as 

 a consequence of the demonstration process. Supported by the ad- 

 ministration and encouraged by a topheavy 80-10 majority in the 

 Senate, those advocating loan guarantees and other supports for 

 synthetic fuels also received widespread industrial support and in 

 articles and editorials. Strategically, however, a critical editorial 

 in the Wall Street Journal proved very influential in mobilizing 

 conservative support against loan guarantees. On December 11, 

 1975, the issues were debated in the House, which soundly defeated 

 the loan guarantee provision by 243-140, and went on to vote down 

 the leasing of public lands for oil shale demonstration, 283-117. 



The following year the advocates of loan guarantees, price 

 supports and construction grants for synthetic fuels regrouped their 

 forces and extensive hearings were held in both the House and Senate. 

 On September 23, 1976, the House, after one hour of debate on the 

 resolution from the Committee on Rules to bring up the synthetic 

 fuels bill, defeated the rule by 193-192. 



In 1977, Flowers became chairman of a newly constituted sub- 

 committee with jurisdiction over fossil and nuclear R. & D. Among 



