King Coal Claims Some Democrats As it turns out, lobbyists for the coal industry solution for energy have significant support from US Senate Democrats. The plan which involves huge subsidized loans facilitate coal liquification is also reported here. Can you stand reading more about coal? The NY Times has put together a great page on the issues posed here. If, like me, you think the billions proposed to be invested in coal, would be better spent on lower or non-polluting energy consider Moveon.org's effort to stop this boondoggle. UPDATE: Perhaps because of the Moveon effort, Barak Obama is said to have backed away from his previous support of Coal-to-Liquid (Ill. is a coal state).

After the jump, a copy of Moveon's call to action:

The idea of turning coal into liquid to fill our gas tanks should just be a bad joke. But because the coal industry pours millions into lobbying Congress every year, this joke could turn into a real nightmare.1

The senate is about to vote on a big bill dealing with energy and the climate crisis. Massive subsidies for coal were defeated in committee. But we're not out of the woods yet, since one of the coal-friendly senators could sneak them back in again as an amendment just before the final vote.

Can you call your senators today to tell them to vote against liquid coal if it's added to the bill at the last minute?

Senator Charles Schumer
Phone: 202-224-6542

Senator Hillary Clinton
Phone: 202-224-4451

Then, please report your calls by clicking here .

Liquid coal is a giant step backward in our fight against global warming—it produces twice as many greenhouse gases as conventional gasoline. Proposals to capture that pollution before it adds to global warming are still a pipe dream.2

We have to reduce the greenhouse gases already in our air to stave off the worst effects of climate change—disease, drought, rising seas—so you'd think a giant program to make liquid coal a cornerstone of our economy would be too outrageous to consider. But continued pressure from the coal industry means key legislators introduce it over and over again.

Even the Roanoke Times, in the heart of coal country, condemned government promotion of liquid coal:
Coal-to-liquid technology is expensive, harmful to the environment and inefficient. The federal government should take no part in subsidizing it...Liquefying coal is not the answer to either energy independence or a cleaner environment.3

Some senators are standing strong against this false promise—Jon Tester from coal-rich Montana has said there should be no liquid coal without proven ways to capture the greenhouse gases.4

But others are risking our future with dirty energy bills instead of supporting clean and affordable alternatives—like solar and wind.

Can you call your Senators today and tell them to stand strong and stop coal from ruining our chances to combat the climate crisis?

Senator Charles Schumer
Phone: 202-224-6542

Senator Hillary Clinton
Phone: 202-224-4451

When you call, you can say that coal is the wrong direction for this country and to please vote against any amendment that uses liquid coal.

A strong position against coal in the senate is critical in our battle against the climate crisis.

Thanks for all you do.

–Ilyse, Joan, Carrie, Marika, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Monday, June 11th, 2007

1. "Lawmakers Push for Big Subsidies for Coal Process," New York Times, May 29, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/29/business/29coal.html

2. "Wrong path toward energy independence," Denver Post, June 9, 2007
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_6088295

3. "Billion Dollar Boondoggle," Roanoke Times, June 5 2007 http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/119477

4. "Tester: Offer incentives for carbon capture," Missoulian, June 2, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2654&id=10508-6726972-yv14Kp&t=4

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