According to AP, at least 48 coal plants are being contested in 29 states:
From lawsuits and administrative appeals against the companies, to lobbying pressure on federal and state regulators, the coordinated offensive against coal is emerging as a pivotal front in the debate over global warming.
Music to my ears.
Naturally, the industry forecasts an apocalyptic future where ponies eat puppies and rainbows cry tears of blood:
Industry representatives say the environmentalists’ actions threaten to undermine the country’s fragile power grid, setting the stage for a future of high-priced electricity and uncontrollable blackouts.
Uncontrollable blackouts?! That would suck.
You know, greens are always getting flack for predictions of doom that don’t pan out. How come that narrative doesn’t stick to industry, which has forecast catastrophe in response to every single environmental initiative ever?
Meanwhile, guess who’s spending more?
Nilles said the Sierra Club spent about $1 million on such efforts in 2007 and hopes to ratchet that figure up to $10 million this year.
Meanwhile, coal interests are pouring even more into a promotional campaign launched by the industry group Americans for Balanced Energy Choices. It spent $15 million last year and expects to more than double that to $35 million in 2008, said the group’s director, Joe Lucas.
