The Los Angeles Times has a heckuva team of environmental reporters, including several Pulitzer Prize winners, but as of late, some of the toughest reporting in the paper has come from Neela Banerjee, who in her latest story in politely calls the coal industry and its employees, the miners, liars. It's fascinating to see how sheContinue reading “LA Times calls King Coal a liar”
Tag Archives: coal
Big Oil backs Romney campaign: USA Today
USA Today runs the SuperPac numbers: WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney's campaign and a super PAC backing him have received more than $15 million from oil, coal and other energy interests, many of which would benefit from the energy plan Romney unveiled Thursday. At least 35 people who "bundle" donations for the Romney campaign are fromContinue reading “Big Oil backs Romney campaign: USA Today”
Don Blankenship: A coal-black villain worthy of Oliver Stone
Though Oliver Stone is reviled and sometimes revered for his political opinions, those who love the movies of the last three decades know him (or should) as the screenwriter mostly likely to understand — and bring to life — villains. In Platoon, it was the alcoholic sergeant Wall Street, Sgt. Barnes, played by Tom Berenger,Continue reading “Don Blankenship: A coal-black villain worthy of Oliver Stone”
Dangerous gases, by Tom Toles
Love the mordant subhead on this one by Tom Toles, who once again insists on keeping his eye on the ball. Well, that is, once again he insists on making us look at what we must face but would rather not, which is threat of climate change. Is there a better advocate for confronting theContinue reading “Dangerous gases, by Tom Toles”
Coal Burning Declines in US, Emissions Follow
From two different sources — the Wall Street Journal, and the Energy Information Agency — we see how the recession has impacted the coal industry, with an attendant decline in greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. From the WSJ, a story about the big energy firm Dynergy, which apparently was expecting big growth under aContinue reading “Coal Burning Declines in US, Emissions Follow”
Sarah Palin’s to Run on “Drill Baby Drill” Platform
As predicted in this space a week or so ago, Sarah Palin is running for president on a pro-oil and gas development platform. In the the next few months and years, assuming she doesn't flip out and self-destruct, she's going to become Ms. Drill Baby Drill. Inevitably, she will ignore or mock global warming. SheContinue reading “Sarah Palin’s to Run on “Drill Baby Drill” Platform”
Obama: Can He Be Trusted on Coal?
For enviros concerned about global warming, nothing matters more than opposing the construction of new coal plants, in this country and around the world. That’s because coal is by far the most carbon intensive of all fuels. James Hansen, the world’s leading climatologist, has been talking about its menace for years. In an op-ed publishedContinue reading “Obama: Can He Be Trusted on Coal?”
Good News Friday: Coal Plants Cancelled Nationwide
According to the Wall Street Journal, the coal industry is struggling to build new plants, because of fear of climate change. It’s a long story, so I’ll put a couple of other excerpts (one relating to Florida) below the fold, but here’s the lede:
From coast to coast, plans for a new generation of
coal-fired power plants are falling by the wayside as states conclude
that conventional coal plants are too dirty to build and the cost of
cleaner plants is too high.
[cut]
As recently as May, U.S. power companies had announced
intentions to build as many as 150 new generating plants fueled by
coal, which currently supplies about half the nation’s electricity. One
reason for the surge of interest in coal was concern over the higher
price of natural gas, which has driven up electricity prices in many
places. Coal appeared capable of softening the impact since the U.S.
has deep coal reserves and prices are low.
But as plans for this fleet of new coal-powered plants
move forward, an increasing number are being canceled or development
slowed. Coal plants have come under fire because coal is a big source
of carbon dioxide, the main gas blamed for global warming, in a time
when climate change has become a hot-button political issue.
Kit Stolz 