MetroNews - 
Charleston, Kanawha County

Lawmakers, coal executives and business leaders gathered in Charleston Tuesday for the first in a series of forums aimed at the future of West Virginia coal in this state and around the world.

Imagine West Virginia put the event together  It's an independent, nonpartisan, objective group that investigates and identifies issues facing the state.  A study they conducted found West Virginia's coal supply is a viable fuel source for decades to come, but there needs to be a plan to address how to best use it.

Governor Joe Manchin was the keynote speaker at the event held at the Charleston Embassy Suites. He told the crowd that, even though many would like to keep coal in the ground, it's going to continue to power the United States.  "I know there's some people who would say 'Let's stop it completely!'  That's not the fact of life."

Currently coal powers 50% of the country's energy needs.

Manchin says you might be surprised by those who say coal is here to stay.  "We've had scientists, economists from around the world, people that you would think would absolutely line up on the other side and be totally against mining anymore coal or using fossil fuels. At the end of the day, they say at the end of the day make no mistake, we will be using coal for the next 30-50 years. Now how do you want to use it?"

The answer, according to Manchin, is by creating clean coal technology like the coal to liquid plant to be built in Benwood. The cost of the Marshall County operation is $800 million.

Governor Manchin says it will change how we power this country and he believes there are other clean ways of using coal that have yet to be developed. "Why shouldn't our major universities be the research engines to find the technology that's going to help the world?"

Meanwhile, Manchin says even if the U.S. doesn't want to use coal, there won't be a lack of buyers. Countries like China, Russia, even Italy are lining up to purchase West Virginia coal.