In his new book, Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America’s Energy Future, author Jeff Goodell uncovers the damage the coal industry has done to America's landscape.
"GLBNews Service: In all your research for this book, what stands out the most regarding the coal industry's impact on our quality of life?
Jeff Goodell: I'm tempted to say the destruction of Appalachia by mountaintop removal mining, the health impacts of air pollution from coal plants-24,000 premature deaths a year, according to the American Lung Association-the presence of toxic mercury in our lakes and streams, and, most alarming of all, the fact that coal plants contribute more than one third of all man-made global warming pollution.
But I really think the thing that stands out most, in retrospect, is the degree to which the coal industry has convinced America that modern life is dependent on burning coal-that any attempt to wean ourselves off coal will mean lost jobs and rolling blackouts."
FULL STORY: Big Coal: Understanding the 800-Pound Gorilla
A Win for ‘Keep it in the Ground’
Coal mining in Wyoming will take a major hit as a result of a U.S. Department of Interior plan to cease future leasing of coal mines in the nation's most productive coal mining basin. The decision casts a spotlight on the presidential election.
Red States Challenge Biden Rules That Threaten Coal Power Plants
The publication in the Federal Register on May 9 of the Environmental Protection Agency's New Source Performance Standards for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from new power plants triggered the filing of 25 lawsuits from Republican-led states.
Making Natural Gas Power Plants Cleaner
Carbon capture and storage has long been associated with coal-burning power plants. Calpine Corp. hopes to apply the controversial technology to existing natural gas power plants, beginning with a pilot project to start this month in the Bay Area.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
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