the protection of public health and welfare, the preservation of national security, and the regulation of interstate commerce require the establishment of a program for the expended ^[1] use, consistent with applicable environmental requirements, of coal and other alternate fuels as primary energy sources for existing and new electric powerplants; and

the purposes of this chapter are furthered in cases in which coal or other alternate fuels are used by electric powerplants, consistent with applicable environmental requirements, as primary energy sources in lieu of natural gas or petroleum.