Every year 24,000 people die prematurely because of pollution from coal-fired power plants.
Every year 38,000 heart attacks occur because of pollution from coal-fired power plants.
Every year 12,000 hospital admissions and 550,000 people suffering asthma attacks result from power plant pollution.
Every year, coal-fired power plants release 48 tons of mercury nationwide.
Power plants release over 40% of total U.S. C02 emissions, a primary contributor to global warming...
...in spite of the fact that coal sickens and kills all living things, industry CEO's (along with the politicians they have invested in) continue to push for more coal fired power plants.
...and now utilities want to burn (as biomass) our trees that capture and store harmful carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen we need to live.
|
|
The "billions of dollars" that are promised will be primarily paid to the wealthy executives of the corporations who want to construct and fuel the new coal power plants—not the hungry and under-employed people of Michigan. Nations around the world, and various States in this great nation, are already realizing the huge health, financial, and environmental risks inherent in coal. Only you can help to stop this problem in Michigan. We need your help today to stop the construction of dirty coal power generating plants in Michigan. Coal is dirty to handle and even filthier to burn. And we know that the industry's "clean coal" message is more public relation's spin than anything real (about as real as "safe healthy cigarettes). The coal industry has invested millions in their public relations, advertising and marketing campaigns to promote the myth of “clean coal." Front groups like American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity and Kelly Rossman-McKinney (in Michigan) are utilizing the momentum of the elections as a platform for their message. Also, tell your Senator that we MUST include language in any Bill that will drastically curtail carbon dioxide and mercury emissions in order to protect our health and our Michigan environment. Statistically we must reduce our dangerous emissions by 80% to halt the advance of global climate change. No coal power plant is worth pain, suffering, and global climate change—especially when there are clean sensible alternatives. Some Key Talking Points: #1: Coal Increases Rates of Disease The United States burns more than a billion tons of coal each year – that’s 20 pounds of coal for every person in the country, every day.According to the American Lung Association, 24,000 people a year die prematurely because of pollution from coal-fired power plants. And every year 38,000 heart attacks, 12,000 hospital admissions and an additional 550,000 asthma attacks result from power plant pollution. #2: Coal Kills Jobs Despite coal industry claims that coal mining creates lots of jobs, the truth is that coal mining employment has been declining for decades, due to increased use of machinery instead of manpower.In West Virginia alone, coal mining employment has plummeted from 126,000 miners in 1948 (who produced 168 million tons of coal), to just 15,000 miners employed in 2005 (who, with the help of machinery, produced 128 million tons of coal). #3: Burning Coal Emits Mercury Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of human-generated mercury pollution in the U.S. Mercury emissions from electrical generation continues to rise. Mercury in mothers' blood and breast milk can interfere with the development of babies' brains and neurological systems and can lead to learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, problems with coordination, lowered IQ and even mental retardation. We already know that mercury levels in the Great Lakes are an enormous problem, and that most of our fish are unsafe to eat regularly. New coal-fired power plants would worsen this situation. #4: Burning Coal is Fuel for Global Warming The U.S. produces about 25 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels.Burning coal contributes 40 percent of U.S. CO2 emissions. Coal is the most carbon intensive fossil fuel. According to the United Nations Environment Program, coal emits around 1.7 times as much carbon per unit of energy when burned as does natural gas and 1.25 times as much as oil. #5: Coal Kills Miners The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 12,000 coal miners died from black lung disease between 1992 and 2002.#6: Coal Wastes Huge Quantities of Water Coal mining requires an estimated 70 to 260 million gallons of water every day. Fresh water is becoming scarce worldwide. Coal fueled power plants make this situation worse. source#7: Coal Pollutes Seafood and Freshwater Fish 49 U.S. states have issued fish consumption advisories due to high mercury concentrations in freshwater bodies throughout the country. We already know that mercury levels in the Great Lakes are an enormous problem, and that most of our fish are unsafe to eat regularly. New coal-fired power plants would worsen this situation. #8: Coal Destroys Mountains Instead of traditional mining, many coal companies now use mountaintop removal to extract coal. Coal companies are increasingly using this method because it allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams while reducing the number of workers required to a fraction of what conventional methods require. Mountaintop removal involves clear cutting native hardwood forests, using dynamite to blast away as much as 800-1000 feet of mountaintop, and then dumping the waste into nearby valleys, often burying streams. #9: Coal Kills Freshwater Streams and Lakes More than 1,200 miles of Appalachian streams have been buried or damaged by mountaintop removal mining. At least 724 miles of streams were completely buried by valley fills from Appalachian mountaintop removal between 1985 and 2001. 400,000 acres of rich and diverse temperate forests have been destroyed during the same time period as a result of mountaintop mining in Appalachia. #10: Coal Costs Billions in Taxpayer Subsidies The U.S. government continues to aggressively fund coal-related projects despite all that is known about coal’s impacts on health, climate and the economy. The Department of Energy is currently seeking $648 million for “clean coal” projects in its 2009 budget request, “representing the largest budget request for coal RD&D in over 25 years.” NOTABLE : Under the Michigan Alternative Energy Surcharge Bill, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, can collect a renewable energy surcharge, from their customers. Residential customers would pay three dollars a month, while commercial customers would be charged $16.58 a month, and industrial customers would be charged $187.50 a month. These utilities would be allowed to collect as much as $1.6 billion through 2014 without being required to provide any new renewable energy. STORY Source : CoalisDirty.com |
|
"The complexity of reforming Michigan's energy plan cannot be overstated, and we applaud Chairman Bruce Patterson for leading this bipartisan effort," said Jim Holcomb, vice president and associate general counsel of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, which is a member of the Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition. "This is precisely the kind of across-the-aisle leadership Michigan so desperately needs to address crucial issues such as energy production." The committee sent to the full Senate bills that will ensure a balanced power portfolio, including renewable energy sources, to meet Michigan's growing power needs. The committee previously sent SB 1228, which addresses energy-efficiency standards, to the full Senate. This package would provide Michigan with a comprehensive energy policy that includes energy efficiency, development of renewable energy sources, and the statutory and regulatory structure to encourage the development of base load power plants. Michigan's 21 st Century Energy Plan projects that the state will need 10 new baseload generating plants between 2015 and 2025 to meet customers' growing power needs. "New power-generation projects in Michigan will pump billions of dollars into the state and generate thousands of construction and operational jobs," said Todd Tennis, representing Protect Michigan, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Michigan State Utility Workers Council. "It's time to invest in keeping energy sources and related jobs in Michigan. This legislation provides the critical balance Michigan needs between boosting the economy and preserving the environment." A recent telephone survey of 500 registered Michigan voters found an overwhelming majority - 83 percent - prefer building generating plants in Michigan to meet increasing customer demand, rather than importing power from out of state. In addition, more than 58 percent were willing to absorb a 5 percent rate increase to build more Michigan electric power plants, which would create jobs and expand the state's tax base. The TargetPoint Consulting survey was conducted May 9-12 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. "These numbers simply confirm that Michigan residents recognize the need and are willing to step up to the plate," Holcomb said. "Our elected officials did what is right for our state." The Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition includes the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Manufacturers Association, Detroit Renaissance, Detroit Regional Chamber, DTE Energy, Consumers Energy, Protect Michigan, and nearly 300 organizations and individuals, including low-income advocacy groups, human service agencies and government representatives. For a full listing of coalition members and information on comprehensive energy reform, please visit the coalition Web site at: www.michiganjobsandenergy.org. ### |
|||||||||||||||||
Coal Contributes to Climate Change
Burning Coal is a Seriously Stupid Idea!
Working to make Michigan the Leader in Solutions - not pollution