A semi-optimistic look at our changing attitudes toward climate change
Republicans, Democrats, and West Virginians
American opinion on climate change is shifting
I think that the United States is slowly changing attitudes on climate change. It isn't happening rapidly but I believe there are some subtle changes occurring.
Polls, though still showing partisan differences, demonstrate increasing support for action for climate change in . . .
"Destroying Affordable Electricity" (with December 13 update)
by the Intelligencer's most-trusted energy source of information
Today we were treated on the forum page to a long opinion piece on "Destroying Affordable Energy" by Murray Energy CEO Robert Murray. Murray uses lots and lots and lots of statistics with next-to-no indication of where they came from. The only evidence cited is a recent study from Energy Ventures Analysis which I previously noted . . .
Coal news you may have missed
Robert Murray speaks to a recent fossil fuels gathering in Texas and praises Representative Lamar Smith for "investigating" scientists
Politicus summarizes:
At a Texas Public Policy Foundation event this week where the fossil fuel industry gathered to plot their attacks on the climate, the owner and CEO of . . .
Posted in: robert murraywar on coalwestern coal
Is the SEC the new IRS?
Will it become a scary government agency for some coal companies?
For as long as I can remember, the IRS has been seen as one of the scariest of government agencies in our popular culture: "You can mess with the rest, but watch out if the IRS is coming after you. Don't forget, that's who got Al Capone!" I don't know how true it was or is but I do think the IRS is still one of the most . . .
Ignoring western coal
Why mention coal subsidies when its so much easier to blame the president for the decline of Appalachian coal?
This morning's Intelligencer front page tells us that a group of Democratic senators are trying to "charge companies for pollution":
A group of Senate Democrats are pushing to charge companies for potential carbon dioxide pollution they cause while working on federal lands.
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., ranking . . .
Posted in: coal subsidieswar on coalwestern coal
Additional evidence that the "war on coal" is over
Charles Patton, the president of WV's largest electric utility - Appalachian Power, spoke yesterday at the state Energy Summit. David Gutman in this morning's Gazette-Mail reported what Patton said (emphasis is mine):
Coal consumption is not likely to increase, regardless of whether new federal regulations on power . . .
Are our local "newspapers" really in favor of "affordable electricity"?
You may have noticed that the local "newspapers" have started using "war on affordable electricity" instead of "war on coal." I think that's because they figure that appealing to the pocketbook is more likely to persuade the audience. Beyond their assertions and use of questionable evidence that electricity . . .
