BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. and China officials worked toward an agreement Tuesday to advance "clean coal" technologies that purport to reduce the fuel's contribution to climate change — and could offer a potential lifeline for an industry that's seen its fortunes fade.

‘Carbon capture and storage’ or CCS is a game-changer for the coal industry, says a recent report of Citi group. (CCS refers to technologies that capture carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants and stores the carbon underground, typically in exhausted oil and gas fields.)

Researchers say that the natural ability of sea urchins to absorb CO2 could be a model for an effective carbon capture and storage system.

Billionaire investor George Soros, who has demonized fossil fuels for years through his think tanks and political contributions, seems to have warmed up to Big Coal now that stocks are dirt cheap.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Wyoming brought out the big guns for Thursday's hearing in Gillette on whether to charge coal companies more to mine on federal lands.

Gov. Matt Mead and all three members of the state's congressional testified that the federal government itself is crippling the coal industry through environmental regulations.

LONDON – The World Coal Association (WCA) has today called for governments worldwide to show a genuine commitment to widening the deployment of all low emission technologies, in order to meet global energy needs and make significant cuts in CO2 emissions.