The report describes work during Fiscal Year 1979 by 12 organizations, both public and private, under EPA's Coal Cleaning Program, a program that explores the possibilities for wider use of coal as an environmentally acceptable energy source. Many aspects of coal were studied, including the use of low sulfur coal, removal of coal sulfur by coal cleaning, and measurement of emissions from the cleaning processes. Seventeen projects were active in three major research categories: environmental assessment, technology assessment and development, and pollution control technology. Several projects were aimed at achieving a better knowledge of the characteristics of estimated coal resources. One approach was to develop and understanding of the effects of geologic formation processes on the properties of the resulting coal--especially sulfur and ash content. Another was to develop empirical data bases from multiple source sampling programs, past and present, to help identify constituents of coal deposits and relate them to environmental and economic concerns. Other studies evaluated certain coal cleaning techniques, equipment, and systems to assess possibilities for their improvement. Alternative strategies were explored for compliance with SO2 emission rules for coal combustion, as were assessment and control of pollution from coal cleaning.