This week, Washington lawmakers battled over energy policy, debating legislation that would include new money for research, increased requirements for car fuel efficiency, and more. In this hour, we'll talk about the various energy bills working their way through Congress. Is the time right for any of them to be enacted into law?

We'll also focus in on coal as an energy source. Many environmentalists regard the fossil fuel as one of the dirtiest available -- but coal's supporters say new technology and techniques, including 'liquid coal,' have the potential to make coal a greener fuel choice. A new report says that in years to come, coal will continue to be in demand, but mining it will get more difficult. We'll talk about the future of coal.

Plus, President Bush this week vetoed legislation that would have expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, and called for increased research into alternatives to embryonic stem cells. Also this week, a survey published in the journal Science found that 60 percent of couples who have undergone in vitro fertilization treatment would be willing to donate their unused frozen embryos to stem cell research. We'll talk about the survey. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Anne Drapkin Lyerly, MD, MA
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, and History of Medicine
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

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Ben Geman
Senior Reporter
Greenwire
Environment and Energy Daily
Washington, DC

Corale L. Brierley
Chair, Committee on Coal Research, Technology, and Resource Assessments to Inform Energy Policy
National Research Council
Brierley Consultancy
Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Richard Bajura
Director, National Research Center for Coal and Energy
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

Books/Articles Discussed:

Coal: Research and Development to Support National Energy Policy (National Academies Press)

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)

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This segment produced by Karin Vergoth