"Approximately half of all the fuel energy used in the United States is now provided by oil and natural gas. A persistent and rapid growth in energy demand during the last 3 decades has been absorbed largely by the liquid and gaseous rather than solid fuels . In 1948 the energy provided by coal was substantially the same BS in 1920 . Meanwhile, the use of oil and natural gas each had increased fivefold. On a per capita basis, the change is more significant . Coal consumption has dropped from about 6 tons per person to 4-1/2 tons, while oil has increased from 4-1/3 barrels to 14-1/3, and natural gas from 7, 500 cubic feet to about 35,000. These facts would have only academic interest if the United States had unlimited supplies of all fuels. However, while the Nation's reserves of coal are adequate to meet our needs for centuries, those of oil and natural gas appear limited . It is obvious, therefore, that the security of our liquid-fuel position would be greatly enhanced if the supply could be based in an increasing degree on solid fuels, such as coal/and oil shale, which make up more than 95 percent of our fuel reserves, instead of natural oil and gas . In addition, this would create new employment and help to stabilize the market for coal, which may be facing comparatively bleak prospects in the near future unless its position with respect to other fuels is improved."