Coal Policy

Coal-fired power plants produce more than 50% of the electricity in America.

Each new conventional coal plant threatens to create a 60-year stream of new carbon dioxide which cannot be easily sequestered, as well as a multi-decade stream of toxic waste.(The Clean Air Task Force ).

Anti-Coal Activism Increasing Nationwide

Between 2000 and 2006, over 150 coal plant proposals were fielded by utilities in the United States. By the end of 2007, 10 of those proposed plants had been constructed, and an additional 25 plants were under construction. But during 2007 a large number of proposed plants were cancelled, abandoned, or put on hold: 59 and counting. In 2008 there were 21 plants cancelled in the US and in 2009 close to 20 were cancelled or put on hold(Source Watch). Some coal plant plans have been canceled due to the recession, and the corresponding drop in electricity consumption. Keep up to date on coal plant cancellations with the Sierra Club's plant list:

The Rush to Coal

There are currently more than 150 new coal-fired power plants on the drawing boards in the United States. According to Grist Magazine, the National Energy Technology Laboratory anticipates the construction of up to 309 new 500 MW coal plants by 2030. Details on the rush to coal:

• Environment Colorado: Coal Rush in the Making."(August 2006)
• Grist "Merchant of Menace. August 24, 2006

Currently, there are more than 35 proposed new or expanded coal-fired power plants in the Interior West—which represents over 23,500 megawatts of new energy (one megawatt supplies electricity for about 1000 homes). About a quarter of these plants are currently moving through the permitting process.

If only coal plants proposed for the Western US were built (approximately half of those on the drawing boards) they would emit 185 million tons of CO2 per year, an increase of 58% from the year 2000.