A Rare Point of Disagreement with Waxman: Coal-Fired Plant Moratorium

[CorpGovActivist]

I'm a huge fan of Chairman Waxman, but this will hurt in some key swing states:

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http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1613

Thursday, November 08, 2007
Energy Policy, Environment
Waxman to Introduce Moratorium on Approval of New Coal-Fired Power Plants

Rep. Henry A. Waxman announced at a congressional hearing with EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson that he will introduce legislation that establishes a moratorium on the approval of new coal-fired power plants under the Clean Air Act until EPA finalizes regulations to address the greenhouse gas emissions from these sources. Under this legislation, a Clean Air Act permit for a new coal-fired power plant could not be issued unless the plant uses state-of-the-art technology to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The bill will also prohibit any person who builds a new coal-fired power plant without carbon controls from receiving allowances under future climate change legislation.
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It's like deja vu all over again from 2000: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=coal+miners%27+doubters+gore

West Virginia's previously-reliable blue Electoral College votes flipped red in 2000 over this issue.

Right now, coal production is booming (driven by the spike in oil prices). Coal production jobs are among the few good jobs in a lot of border/Upper Appalachian states.

I'm pro-environment, and I understand the special role that coal plays in global warming. But emissions mitigation (e.g., scrubbers) and clean coal burning R&D are approaches that don't alienate the persuadable voters in those states. Indeed, those technologies hold out the triple promise of greater energy independence, more American jobs, and a long-term solution to environmental problems.

The timing on this is less than ideal.

- Dave