The EPA is still accepting public comment on moves to extend the Clean Air Act to include regulation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
Click here to review a just released NMA ACT Alert that rightly describes the potential outcomes of these proposed rules as having potentially "devastating effects througout the entire U.S. economy."
Through the same page, you can also send comments to EPA Administrator, Stephen Johnson, requesting that the management of this nation's GHGs be left to our elected officials.
Comments will only be accepted to November 28th, therefore, persons wishing to take this opportunity to comment on the rulemaking must do so immediately.
Click here to access the NMA ACT Alert and comment submission form.
A November 1 article in POWER Magazine relates the findings of recent MIT research which investigates the rapid development of coal-fueled generation throughout China.
Recent comments have been attributed to Senator Obama regarding the implementation of a cap and trade system for carbon dioxide emissions, that could "bankrupt" the coal industry or those who plan to build coal-fueled generation plants.
As a non-partisan organization, the American Coal Council does not take positions on the outcome of the election. Nor do we lobby for the implementation of specific policies or legislation.
It is extremely important, however, for both candidates to recognize the value and stability that the coal industry provides for our economy. "Bankrupting" the source of half of our electrical power would have profound negative economic, social, and environmental impacts.
Coal currently provides half of our domestic electricity supply. It does so at rates well below most other competing energy sources. "Bankrupting" one of our nation's most abundant and affordable, energy resources would cause rapid increases in energy costs for main street and our nation's businesses. Additionally, tens of thousands of jobs would be lost in our mining, utility, and related service industries.
The ACC believes that this issue points to the continuing need to educate policy makers on the pivitol role that coal plays in our economy.
In a dramatic shift away from their 15-year long commitment to the theme of "common but differentiated responsibilities,"EU nations have adopted a position very similar to the American notion that developing countries must commit to specific carbon reduction targets as part of the post-2012 Kyoto agreement.
Canadian Centre for Policy Studies: Eight Arguments against a Carbon TaxIn this Canadian Centre for Policy Studies report (released Sept. 2008), David Murrell reviews a list of reasons why he believes a proposed carbon tax would be damaging to the Canadian economy.
After describing the basics of the proposed carbon tax, Murrell provides eight reasons he believes the carbon tax will not achieve its stated goals:
Last September we reported in the Coalblog about former Vice President Al Gore's calls for young people to engage in civil disobedience as a means of stopping the construction of new coal plants.
We are now treating the Earth's atmosphere as an open sewer ... I can't understand why there aren't rings of young people blocking bulldozers ... and preventing them from constructing coal-fired power plants.
In that post we also noted how NASA climate scientist James Hansen continued in his moves further into a more extreme activist form of "science" by joining Gore in his calls for direct action.
It seems to me that young people, especially, should be doing whatever is necessary to block construction of dirty (no CCS) coal-fired power plants.
At the September 24th meeting for the Clinton Global Initiative, the former Vice President upped the ante by once again calling for civil disobediance and direct action against new coal-fueled plants.
