How many acronyms does it take to trick politicians and the media into thinking coal is really a clean energy choice? Well, let’s just go through them, shall we?
ABEC stands for Americans for Balanced Energy Choices, a coal industry campaign that has spent more than $40 million to promote “clean coal” technologies on the campaign trail. Their members include your friendly neighborhood coal companies like Peabody Coal, Arch Coal, Duke Energy as well as rail companies like Burlington Northern Santa Fe. ABEC ran an “astroturf” campaign in New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania extolling the virtues of coal to presidential campaign staff, volunteers, supporters, and even the candidates themselves. ABEC has sponsored nearly every televised presidential debate and is now…gone forever, partly due to the work of grassroots climate campaigners, big enviros and a group called ABECC.
The Alphabet Game
