The War on Coal is still alive in America.
As a result of the numerous scandals that have plagued the Obama Administration over the past 12 months – IRS, EPA, NSA, TSA, DOJ…I’m sure I’m forgetting some uppercase letters here – news about the President’s War on Coal has been pushed to the back burner. If you recall, as a presidential candidate in 2008, Obama promised that electricity rates would skyrocket due to the environmental controls he planned to place on the coal industry.
Well, at least he’s kept one of his promises.
My promise is to not let anyone forget about Obama’s War on Coal. We recently learned that in 2014, the Carbon Power Plant in Utah will be forced to close because of EPA regulations. Because the plant is located inside a narrow canyon, there’s not enough room to install all of the pollution control technology required by the EPA. And that means 74 more workers will lose their jobs.
That’s just one plant, of course. Approximately 150 coal-burning plants have been shuttered since 2010 due to environmental regulations and lawsuits filed by environmentalists, which comes to more than 10,000 job losses. Not to mention the damage done to the communities in which these plants were located.
EPA regulations, based on computer models about climate change that have already been proven faulty, ignore the fact that one of America’s biggest strengths is coal. We have the largest coal reserves in the world, and coal helps keep the U.S. competitive.
So, what is the Obama Administration accomplishing with its War on Coal? Well, it weakens America’s position in the global economy, it handicaps fossil fuel industries and it denies Americans the right to access domestic coal resources. The perfect storm.
How do you feel about the EPA being allowed to shut down coal plants that provide people with jobs and Americans with affordable energy? Please let me know what you think about this.
Maybe with the way Clinton mentioned shutting down the coal mines, it came back and bit her on the ass during the primarys and she lost WV. Our country is in the toilet right now and if lying hiliary gets in she will flush us down the drain.
When will enough be enough in this country? Who’s side is he on, anyway?
George
THE SAD PROBLEM IN US TODAY LOT OF AMERICANS DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON WITH OUR GOVERNMENT DESTROYING EVERYTHING THAT MADE THIS COUNTY GREAT AND OUR WAY OF LIFE.
How much is the coal lobby paying you for your blog ????
Love these”greenies”. Stuff like “I have an electric car,I am helping the enviornment” Really? How do you charge it.With electricity! And where does that come from? Mostly coal or nuclear,the very things they argue against.Wait until those electric cars nuts have to replace ALL the batteries and pay 30.oo an hour to charge them when coal goes away
My response exactly. We’re getting killed in coal states by the stupid regulations. This country would be even more energy independent with coal.
The Obama administration has achieved more than higher prices for the consumer, he has also provided the Left with jobs and funding to promote the so-called clean energy. Coal fired power plants have not been a detriment to our communities or they would have been shut down years ago. WE NEED COAL!
The U.S. has lowered emissions over the years till they are leading the world in lower pollution by coal plants. It all started in the 70’s with shutting down steel mills that used coal and a lot of them opened back up using electricity. Of course that meant higher prices for pipe used in oil wells and pipelines. Then came the emissions standards for automobiles, diesel engines were exempt. This resulted in more expenses each year for an emissions test. Now bo and the EPA want to do away with anything that burns coal and convert it to electricity. He even included that in a speech before he was elected President.
Now, have you seen China. People walk and ride bicycles and wear masks over their face because the pollution is so bed. Our glorious president made a deal with China that the U.S. has to start reducing the emissions immediately, but China does not have to do anything for 10 years. What a sack of s _ _ _ he is.
Frank
yes you got it right on the coal stuff. Here is the scam on what I think was really behind it, is that most if not all the coal mines are now owned by China, and other mineral mines also. we owe China so much money it is not even funny and our government just may have given it to them to pay form some of the debt owed to China. God will bless our country again some day.
Frank Bates I am stunned you are defending the dirty coal giants. Coal is toxic, destroys mountains and rural life. The smoke poisons our air. People living there are forced to work in the coal industry because the coal company has kicked out any other means of work. Have you ever heard of “mountain top removal?” Its HELL ON EARTH. A travesty of our great country! I am glad coal plants are being shut down. Hurray! We need to focus on more self reliant forms of power like solar, wind, ocean waves. Isn’t that the point of this blog? We don’t want to be beholden to the greedy, fat cats of the coal industry. There is big money in green jobs! Its smart organized transition we need. Thats where the focus needs to be. Coal giants are sabotaging that because they will make less money. Green is better for everything in the long run.
So Alex……. would you rather be beholden to the “fat cats” in Washington??? Or just the big fat cat in Washington. …. Obama???? We have led the way for decades on burning coal cleaner and more efficiently for decades, and we keep improving on that as well. Yes to renewable engery, but lets not cut our throat and bleed out as a result to get there.
Alex,you mean stuff like Solyndra? That was better for everyone? Thats just ONE case too and there are many more.Coal fueled the industrial revolution,so yeah lets dump that for solar panels.I live in FL,the sun destroys them making them USELESS here.i can’t afford to be green cause I LOST too much green
I didn’t fact check this issue about coal plants being shuttered. Before I do, we should have the coal companies start exporting the coal to other countries that want the coal. That way there will be people working at the mines and transfer stations through out the U.S. That is food for thought.
China could care less about pollution.They wont give up coal.Why should we export our coal to them? Does this help the ozone layer because we cant see it now???.Global warming is caused by all the hot air these enviro nuts crank out
It is not difficult to understand why coal usage must go. Look at the destroyed.mountaintops, dangerous slugs pnds, poisonous heavy metals in the a oil around elementary schools near coal_fired power plants. Here in Holland Mi, we citizens objecred to a new coal unit in our municipal plant; so the city engaged a consultant, and we developed a 40 year energy plan for our city. The new plant is going to be a twin turban gas_ fired facility, with waste heat piped to keep city streets and sidewalks free of snow, and to heat homes and business. We’re also finding funding to improve the energy efficiency of some of homes. Thus more local jobs and a cleaner city!! I’ve been an environmental consultant and activist for a better world at home. We always got those with a financial interest distorting the facts and whining about jobs. Wonder what the buggy whip makers did when autos came. Found different jobs!!
Rock-great theory!!! Where are the “new jobs” located? 46 million people would love to know!!! Start your own buggy whip company since horses are greener than green
Obama, why stupid people shouldn’t vote.
Amen
I work for utility that has been doing battle with the EPA. We have a 4 unit coal plant in Farmington, NM and it is one of our major power sources for all of New Mexico. The EPA said we were affecting sight lines at the Grand Canyon and ordered it shut down. The company and state battled the EPA and we came up with a plan to just shut 2 units down and install additional scrubbing units on the other 2. This will cause a couple hundred workers to lose their jobs and will impact the local community and the Navahoe Nation as that is who we buy our coal from. More pain for Main Street to satisfy his environmental benefactors like Steyer. Don’t forget the XL pipeline, more environmental impact on our economy.
I heat my house with coal. I have been for about 6 years. I used to burn 15 cords of wood, and about 500 gallons of oil each season. That’s at least $1200 in wood, and $1800 in oil, at present local prices. And my house was still cold. Now I burn 3-4 tons of anthracite rice coal. Costs between $900 and $1200. And no oil. And my house is warm all winter. No smoke out of the chimney. No gas driving to get wood and cut it up and move it. I get one delivery a year. My coal burner is American made, and the coal I buy is American mined and transported, and I buy it from a local small businessman. So let’s see, I use less fuel, make less pollution, don’t cut down trees, much smaller “carbon footprint” getting everything working, and support American manufacturing, jobs, and small business. No wonder the Liar in Chief wants to ban coal. It goes against everything he’s working for.
Thanks. Clearly written and gives me a different perspective.
We heat our home with only wood and love it because we cut our own wood and have a very clean burning wood stove made in Virginia, called England Stove Works. There is so much waste wood in this country to burn and with the modern burning stoves it is a no brainer. If you don’t like to do the hard work of handling firewood you can buy an automatic pellet stove which burns any kind of pelletized fuel. Modern clean burning stoves have made wood burning so much more efficient and easier.
However I do agree that coal is still a very useful source of heating fuel and coal could be mined in an environmentally friendly way.
The cost of everything manufactured or produced with the use of energy, will go up as fuel costs rise. The cost of anything is the result of the costs of everything that is required to produce or provide. Costs besides energy such as man hour costs. So if some entity wants to raise the cost of labor, then anything that labor touches will become more expensive. When it gets too expensive for folks they stop buying it and do without or find a substitute that is not as expensive.
Actually both parties are equally corrupt. And both parties would sellout their own mothers, let alone ” we the people”, for their own ga in. I get so tired of this garbage about republican or democrate is better or one would do better than the other. Our government and the whole electorial process is corrupt and un fair. Big pharma and the select few rich run this country not us. The only way for change is removal or revolution nothing will change if we contiue to put prfessional politicians in our gov. To change things . Come on people stop being sheep. None of them want us to prosper, it would not make them the money and power that they crave if we all were to prosper. The longer we continue to put the same bickering fools in power th e longer the little guy will suffer. the only way to stop this insanity is to take our country back. If you think there is any difference in either party, you are only part of the problem. Wake up america.
Amen Sean. You got it right brother. everything you said is true and unless we get off our butts and do something things are going to get a lot worse. The government is growing the America they need by raising Americans on welfare and dependent upon them so that we will do anything they want because we are so grateful. Wake up people. Read your bible people. Its all in there.
I disagree with the uneducated idiot who agrees with shutting down coal fired power plants. If you drive by a power plant that has been operating in the last fifteen years you will notice nothing but clean steam coming from the boiler. People from out of town don’t even notice it’s there. Do your research before condemning a technology you know nothing about.
We have a small coal-fired electric plant in town that is scheduled to be demolished by Black Hills Energy against the wishes of the community. It would have been available as a backup if the grid went down. They told us that was how it would be a year ago, now they are tearing it down.
Coal is an important source of energy, and refinements in power plants in recent years have greatly reduced the pollution. But because no one has legally challenged Obama’s position that carbon dioxide is a pollutant, his EPA continues on its attack of those emissions. What makes matters worse is the fact that the UN’s IPCC has disgraced itself as a source of scientific facts, and regardless, Obama is working to make sure his prediction of high energy prices comes true. This imposter is trying to ruin our nation by distorting real science and accelerate our decline by forcing useless damage and expenses. Congress is the safeguard the Constitution provides against this activity. but Congress won’t move.
Carbon Dioxide is a pollutant. When you exhale you produce carbon dioxide. It is the trees, plants, grasses and the ocean that changes this pollutant into oxygen so that we and all life on this planet can live. It should be a question can the EPA find a balance between what can be done verses looking at things one sided.
The EPA is a government entity that thinks that it can lay down the law to make others dance to their tune. Perhaps we should inject some common sense into this department of the government and see if we can find a way to compromise certain actions that the EPA has taken. After all The EPA did close the Doe Run Company, last lead smelter plant in in Herculaneum, Mo., on Dec. 31. The EPA also closed a pecan orchard because of the spray that they use to prevent a fungus from destroying their trees. These trees will soon be gone like the Eastern Chestnut trees of the early 1960’s. These chestnut trees all but disappeared from the United States due to a fungus infection. The EPA needs to seek resolutions to a problem(s) not dictatorial measures. Besides the EPA has a major problem partying on our dime that needs to be address. That is a scandal that Frank forgot to mentioned in his comments.
Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. It is a naturally occurring gas found in the air we breathe. The problem occurs when it is out of balance with the other gases. I have always advocated planting more trees to balance the ratios. We have far worse pollutants in the air we breathe that need addressing.
“The problem occurs when it is out of balance with the other gases. ”
No problem occurs, because it has never been shown that there is excess CO2 in the atmosphere … it is all faulty theory. The Global Warming clowns have ignored the role and reserve capabilities of plants in their theory. They have also, even most recently, in their claim that 2014 was the warmest on record, been shown to be fudging the numbers … shaving the past warmer years down, and enlarging the current colder numbers.
Like in everything they do, collectivists feel that lying is OK if it will further their interests.
Bingo bub
It’s a shame so many of our government officials do not support and defend the Constitution like they swore to do. starting with our president, congress, supreme court and federal judges.
yes it is
Welcome to the New Socialist Amerika, it is brought to you by the crooks who have infiltrated our political system. The propaganda that the “Lame Stream Media” (CNN, NBC, CBS, NPR, and more) tells you is to continue disgracing honest candidates with lies to the point that “We the People” will not recognize the truth. Just wait until the Dictator in the White House starts Marshall Law. Then you will run and hide – but it is too late.
LIKE I HAVE SAID BEFORE, CONGRESS NEEDS TO IMPEACH THIS DIRT BAG OF A PRESIDENT FOR ALONG TIME NOW, BUT IT SEEMS THAT CONGRESS IS AFRAID OF OBAMA. WE THE PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO GET TOGETHER AND SEE IF WE CAN OUST THIS DIRT BAG. I AM SO SORRY THAT YOUR DAD LOST HIS JOB!! MAY GOD BLESS US ALL!
I have to agree we need to shut down coal plants. We’re burning our planet’s finite resources out of existence, and contributing majorly to global warming. I am angry that Americans are being shut out of jobs in the process. Instead of shutting down coal plants and calling it a day, why not convert existing places into renewable energy plants?
What planet are you from… they tried this with plants already doing what you say—- and they went out of business, taking our money with them!!!!!
. . . . and this little piggy went wee, wee, wee, all the way to the bank with our cash in his pockets.
Rick, consider that coal plants are very clean burning in recent years. My husband is a chemical engineer with a background in energy. That’s where my intel comes from. If we could find someone who has developed a clean energy source, then phasing out coal might make sense. That has not happened. Until then we need to keep coal.
I live less than two miles from my city’s electric generating plant.When they used to burn coal I didn’t even know it was there.Common sense restrictions on coal plants worked in U.S. China must not have any restrictions on coal.Polution is so bad there they were masks! People are known by the fruits they bear.Our President’s fruit proves he is out to destroy America.He wants to destroy as many jobs as he can and bankrupt this country.
Yes sir. He is doing the job he set out to do. Destroy America.
When men get balls!
The U.S. House and Senate are in on the destruction of our country. How much money did it take to corrupt them ? We must put new people in Congress who are real American patriots otherwise we will lose all of our freedoms. Our Constitution will not work with morally bankrupt leaders in charge. When morals are left behind freedom goes with it.
They are all in on it. They are the ones terrorizing the US with attacks they orchestrated so that we would beg them to take away our freedom.
My dad was a stationary engineer in a coal fired power plant, how do you think I feel about it. Now it’s shut down too and the town is only about half of what it used to be. Businesses are closed and boarded up, it looks pathetic, which it is.
I live in the coalfields of east Kentucky and Obama has totally killed out the economy with this stupid shit! He is a total disaster , don’t think this country can survive 2 more yrs of that idiot!
When will the Americans stand up and put a stop to this ??????????????????
This November is the time. Don’t vote for anyone with a D after the name, and we might stand a chance.
Isn’t West Virginia a Democ-Rat State? Old Joe Manchin is going to work it out with his Democ-Rat President Obama. YOU get what you vote For, so just suck it up and enjoy your EBT cards, Comrades.
This Obama Admenistration has been doing all along.. giving all jobs to other countries.Bring US people down to nothing.
People in other countries say Americans know how to do nothing.
When will the Americans stop gabbing and start doing something!!!!!!!!!
we have more caol in this country then all countries combined. about 500 million years of it. we export roughly 250,000 plus box car loads of coal just to china to generate the elelctricity to power the manufacturing plants that produce the shoddy poisonous sub sandards products that cram walmart shelves. there are no saftey precautions in place in chinas’ coal mines. life is disposable. life in china has no value. china owns us. we can not pay our debt to china so we ship them our coal. sort of a barter system and they rake off “X” amount …what ever that is…off the ever increasing debt we owe them.