250 Years of Coal? Maybe Not

One of the most quoted statistics in energy is that the country has a 250-year supply of coal. But is a true? A congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council casts doubt. From the press release:

It is clear that there is enough coal at current rates of production to meet anticipated needs through 2030, and probably enough for 100 years, the committee said. However, it is not possible to confirm the often-quoted assertion that there is a sufficient supply for the next 250 years.

The New York Times puts it this way: Science Panel Finds Fault With Estimates of Coal Supply.

You can find the study and a summary here.