Coal-to-Liquid, A Bad Deal
Posted on December 18, 2009 | By Denny Tyler | No Comments
It comes as no surprise that a coal-to-liquids plant is on the slate for West Virginia. I’ve been reading articles lately about the proposed plant for Mingo County. A word of advice – if you are opposed to the devastating effects of mountaintop removal coal mining, you better not take this lying down.
The last thing this state needs is another reason to keep us locked into the cycle of coal. Particularly in a county already devastated by coal mining, Mingo County.
Forgetting about the added pollution from a coal-to-liquids plant for a second, think about the added coal mining/mountaintop removal it would take to feed a coal-to-liquids plant.
Regardless of what some folks will say, one of the primary reasons mountaintop removal is beneficial to the industry is because blowing the top off the mountains allows the coal industry to get more coal faster and cheaper.
With growing markets for coal abroad and coal-fired domestic markets, the demand for coal is growing. If you add the coal-to-liquids market into that mix, imagine the explosion in coal mining, pun intended. There would be no stopping mountaintop removal coal mining. Traditional mining methods simply would not be able to keep up with the added demand.
A coal-to-liquids plant is a bad deal. It will do nothing but keep us trapped in the vicious cycle of coal. It would also be just another tool for our coal industry corrupt politicians to keep the cash pouring into their pockets… gotta get re-elected.
Already justification for the coal-to-liquids plant centers around jobs and the economy. It is quite clear our elected officials are puppets for the coal industry. They are spineless without honor or integrity.
“So I would guess that Mingo County would be very much appreciative of a new plant that would bring these jobs to the area particularly given the economic recession that the country continues to suffer from.”
A coal-to-liquids plant is not a road we want to travel. Like any road into coal, it is a dead end for the Appalachian Mountains and for those of us who call the mountains home.
——
The video below was created in response to a proposed coal-to-liquids plant in Pennsylvania. The facts are the same it is just the location that is different.
To replace just 10% of the oil we use in this country with liquid coal we would have to increase coal mining by more than 40%.
What we need now is a strong leadership to bring about a new energy future for America and the world.
A leadership financed by industry is only as strong as industry allows.
In my opinion, if this coal-to-liquid plant in Mingo County is allowed to proceed the battle against mountaintop removal and dirty politics is lost.
Can you say revolution?
Our remnants of wilderness will yield bigger values to the nation’s character and health than they will to its pocketbook, and to destroy them will be to admit that the latter are the only values that interest us. – Aldo Leopold
Comments
Leave a Reply
Search This Site
Archives
You Can Help…
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Featured Posts
Popular Posts
Endmtr.com Forum
- Mountaintop removal in Tennessee December 18, 2011
- Michigan coal-fired plants to close; wind and air to step up December 17, 2011
- Energy Company Abandons Plan For Georgia Coal Plant December 17, 2011
- GOP’s Coal Poison Pill Risks White House Veto Of Payroll Tax Cut Bill December 17, 2011
- New study documents cumulative impact of mountaintop mining December 12, 2011
The Latest Google News – MTR & Climate Change
- INFLUENCE GAME: Big donors and what they want - Fox News - 03 Feb 12
- If We Can Stop the Keystone Pipeline, We Can Stop Mountaintop Removal. Right? - Huffington Post - 02 Feb 12
- Asheville Green Drinks initiative promotes sustainability, green movement - The Blue Banner - 01 Feb 12
- Top Climate Scientist on Need for Clean Energy Action - CleanTechnica - 30 Jan 12
- Environmental groups ask Kentucky lawmakers to consider coal's health impact - Sacramento Bee - 25 Jan 12
Information / Hotline
Contributing Authors – Past & Present
Gallery
EPA
Admin
Visitors Online
- 03 visitor(s) online
- powered by WassUp
