Coal Plant Catch Up: Bill Halts New Coal Plants until Coal Technology Catches Up with Clean Rhetoric

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/releases/pr2008-03-11.asp

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11 , 2008
CONTACT: Virginia Cramer 202-675-6279

Coal Plant Catch Up

Bill Halts New Coal Plants until Coal Technology Catches Up with Clean Rhetoric

Under a new bill introduced today by Representatives Henry Waxman and Edward Markey, only coal plants using state-of-the-art technology will be able to move forward. The bill would ensure that all new coal plants address global warming pollution by capturing and storing at least 85% of their carbon dioxide emissions. The bill would also ensure that any new coal plants that do not capture and store their carbon will not be given free pollution allowances under any future global warming legislation.

In response Bruce Nilles, Director of the Sierra Club’s National Coal Campaign, issued the following statement.

"This bill takes a common sense approach to our energy future. Everyone realizes that federal global warming legislation is coming; this bill recognizes that and forces us to look before we leap into a new generation of coal-fired power plants.

"Before we move forward with new coal plants we need to make sure that they will be viable, affordable energy options in the new energy future we are creating. We need to make sure that the technology to capture and store carbon is feasible and in place. Otherwise we could end up locked in to another 50 years of dirty power that negates all of our other efforts to improve public health and fight global warming.

...

[phantom power]

1. Wait a minute...

This sentence says all coal plants would have to capture their CO2:

The bill would ensure that all new coal plants address global warming pollution by capturing and storing at least 85% of their carbon dioxide emissions.

But then this very next sentence says, they don't have to capture their CO2. (but they would forfeit "free pollution allowances")

The bill would also ensure that any new coal plants that do not capture and store their carbon will not be given free pollution allowances under any future global warming legislation.

I would love a bill that forces them to capture CO2. Because it can't be done, and it would shut them down.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. The actual bill is here

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1797

[phantom power]

3. I like this quote:

"If we lose control of coal, we will have lost control of climate."
http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20080311104934.pdf

As GG said, it gives me a little hope to learn that at least a few people get it.