The end of coal

This week’s program on public radio’s Living on Earth focused on coal and how the unstoppable momentum for more coal power was stopped by a few people standing in front of the tanks.

Plans for some 150 new coal-fired power plants have bitten the dust as uncertainty grows about how to handle coal's emissions. Now the Obama administration adds to coal's woes with steps to regulate mercury, fly ash and greenhouse gases from coal plants. Living on Earth's Jeff Young reports.

One of Jeff’s interviews was naturally with Bruce Nilles, who takes the position that no coal is good coal.

NILLES: For the last eight years the answer has been to put our heads in the sand and ignore carbon dioxide. And the days of pretending global warming does not exist and that carbon dioxide will not be regulated are simply over. The Obama administration is gonna use existing authorities to begin to take a bite out of global warming and do our part.

We need people like Bruce who will stand up to the forces of “reason” and tell them they’re not being reasonable. Bruce argues that coal is actually more expensive than wind and solar right now. If you haven't caught up on the latest with coal, give a listen.

Living on Earth is a weekly environmental news and information program distributed by Public Radio International and broadcast weekly on approximately 300 Public Radio stations. The show airs in 9 of the 10 top radio markets and reaches 80% of the US.