Like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, the wildlife and people downwind from coal plants breathe, ingest and experience coal's detrimental impacts every day. More than 50 percent of our nation's electricity is derived from coal and coal will continue to be part of our energy mix. However the consequences from coal extraction and combustion require our nation's energy plan to not sugar-coat coal, but prioritize meeting energy needs through truly clean and renewable energy.
Coal is expensive and dangerous to extract from the Earth. Hardworking miners risk their lives underground as coal corporations too often engage in dangerous mining practices to maximize profits. Aboveground, mountaintop removal degrades the landscape forever and has buried 724 miles of Appalachian streams that threaten downstream communities with flooding and property destruction.
The byproducts from processing coal pose persistent threats to human health and our environment.
Adding insult to injury, burning coal releases climate-change-causing pollution, food-chain poisoning mercury, and acid rain compounds. Creating all this pollution yields little economic benefit. A recent study published in the peer reviewed Public Health Reports found the coal industry is an economic drain on Appalachia, generating $8 billion a year in economic benefits to the region while costing an estimated $42 billion annually.
Propaganda efforts from the coal lobby highlight technologies aimed at removing harmful emissions from the combustion of coal. Capturing carbon emissions from coal combustion isn't commercially viable yet and sequestering carbon underground indefinitely is not yet a proven solution. Additionally, transforming coal into liquid or gaseous fuel are often very energy and water-intensive processes. All energy generation has some environmental impact, however, it is vital to evaluate the "cradle-to-grave" footprint of a technology to clearly see its pollution potential.
Clean energy advocates recognize that maximizing energy efficiency and increasing fuel diversity, with a robust role for clean, renewable technologies, holds the key for our sustainable energy future. Investments we make today can yield great benefits for tomorrow. For instance, hydropower produces clean energy at some of the lowest costs. Instead of taxpayers footing the bill to expand coal in our energy sector, our tax dollars should be directed towards upgrading to a "smart grid" through existing transmission right-of-ways, building sustainable technologies without toxic legacies, and reducing energy use through conservation and efficiency.
Our energy future needs a "silver buckshot" approach to reduce the carbon footprint from our energy, stabilize fuel prices and sustain generations to come. We have the sun, wind, water and soil. We have the intelligence, technology, and innovation. We now need the political will to direct our shared resources to advance truly clean and sustainable energy solutions.
Dereth Glance is executive program director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment.