[LOC1]

Per BTU, coal is generally a cheaper source of energy than gas. On the other hand, gas provides feed for chemical plants. There does not have to be a conflict and historically, there was not. The problem with coal is the environmental restrictions, enacted by edict.

[Alberta's Child]

Another advantage of gas is that it is often a byproduct of oil extraction, so the supply is plentiful and costs almost nothing (that is, it's being tapped from the ground anyway in another process).

Another problem with coal is that cheap gas has probably done more to erode the use of coal than any environmental regulations did.

[Alberta's Child]

Another advantage of gas is that it's cheaper to transport than coal.

The flip side of that, though, is that many areas of the Northeastern U.S. are facing gas pipeline capacity constraints, and Democratic politicians all over the place are putting the brakes on new pipelines.