This is written by Jeff Biggers and crossposted from The Huffington Post.

In one of the most bizarre Big Coal public relations ads yet, online readers of the Washington Post today were forced to view a fatuous "clean coal" ad prior to viewing an extraordinary photo galley on "Death at American coal mines."

In an excellent and in-depth look into regulatory failure, Post reporters David A. Fahrenthold and Kimberly Kindy examine nine deaths in various mines since the Upper Big Branch disaster in April. The Post reporters conclude: "For safety experts and miners' families, these recent disasters tell a familiar story: Enforcement efforts have been hampered by a backlogged appeals system and the lack of penalty for repeat offenders. The new federal crackdown still couldn't ensure safe conditions underground."

Even more notable: An estimated 450-500 coal miners have died from black lung disease in the last six months, according to figures from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. In one of the most scandalous crises in workplace safety in the United States, over 10,000 coal miners have died needlessly from black lung disease (from the inhalation of coal dust) in the last decade.

Black lung disease was first diagnosed in 1831. Coal mining communities wait todayfor new rules and stricter enforcement procedures.

Why are coal miners still dying today?

Mountaintop removal is devastating hundreds of square miles of Appalachia; polluting the headwaters of rivers that provide drinking water to millions of Americans; and destroying a distinctly American culture that has endured for generations.

Watch this new commercial from our friends at the http://www.ilovemountains.org and help share the dirty secret of mountaintop removal.



**commercial may not play in some browsers (like google chrome)... you've been warned**

Meet Anne. Anne is excited about cleaning coal. She has a basin, a washboard, and some soap. Here she goes...




Thanks to Kathy Selvage and Antigone Ambrose for the inspiration!

Obviously coal isn't clean and we need your help to spread the word. Coal Country is a stunning new documentary that reveals the devastation of mountaintop removal coal mining to the forests, streams, and communities of Appalachia. We need to get this film in the hands of Americans nationwide. Help get the word out and end mountaintop removal coal mining by hosting a Coal Country House Party. Deadline is November 1st.

If you're reading this post, and you're not a right wing-nut blogger looking for something to froth at the mouth about, chances are you're a progressive activist type who takes the democratic process seriously enough to stay informed on the issues and occasionally respectfully push and prod your elected officials on them. If that's the case, odds are you're also pretty appalled, disgusted, and downright frustrated with the hysterical, anti-democratic mobs and their corporate ringleaders who have attempted to hijack the debate over health care over the last few weeks.

If you're reading this post, it's also a big no brainer that you're here to read about climate policy not the health care debate. Maybe you revile the tea-bagger maniacs that are turning town halls into town hells but as a climate activist you're not going to get too worried or worked out about them until they start coming for climate policy as well. Well if that's the case then my advice to you would be to start getting worried and start taking action.

Emboldened by the well-publicized scenes of ignorant, disruptive fury that have stifled rational dialogue over real policy at town halls over the past few weeks, opponents of federal climate change action including the American Petroleum Institute and the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity have already initiated campaigns to employ the same types of anti-democratic tactics to derail Congressional efforts to pass a climate bill this fall. Last week, API launched its' "Energy Citizens" initiative

Cross-Posted from: here

I happened to catch the opening part of President Barack Obama's health care town hall meeting in Bristol, Virginia. At the beginning of these, local politicians are usually acknowledged by the President. So Obama thanks the Virginia Senators and the Governor, and then mentions that the Congressman of this area is Rick Boucher. Now, Obama could leave it at acknowledging Rick Boucher like the others, but instead he goes on an elaboration of energy, saying Boucher was an early supporter of his campaign, and has worked to ensure an energy policy where clean coal is part of Virginia's energy future, which will create jobs. Because of this, Obama proclaims "I love Rick Boucher."

Now, as whole I'm a supporter of Obama's presidency. After 8 years of Bush I'm infinitely happier with Obama as president. I think Obama understands the critical issues around clean energy and climate change. Although he needs to show much stronger leadership and be more vocal with the media, I have considered the stimulus investment, stronger fuel economy standards, as well as his administration's aggressive behind the scenes arm-twisting over the Waxman-Markey bill(which I support) to be pretty good. At the same time, I've criticized his administration over the EPA ruling on mountaintop removal, as well as his stance on clean coal, which is no secret at this point. The tar sands aren't looking too good either.

But the notion that Obama can stand there and proclaim such outstanding support for a bought out Congressman is absolutely disgraceful and damaging. Not just because of Boucher's efforts to drain what should be clean energy funding into longshot carbon capture and sequestration. That you would expect Obama to support. It's the fact that Boucher was the leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee in weakening Waxman-Markey's emissions targets and he pushed to weaken them any further. It's that Boucher took a 25% renewable electricity standard and a 15% efficiency standard and turned them into 20% combined together. These were the two biggest weakening effects. Although permit allocations and EPA authority are not at the top of my complaint list, Boucher had a big hand in those tamperings as well. If you could pick one member of the House that's done the most damage to our efforts to pass a strong climate bill, it's Rick Boucher. That's why back in May, I was present at a direct action protest in the halls of Congress, where some blocked Boucher's office and were arrested. At that event, one of the organizers Mike Tidwell, the director of CCAN and a friend talked about how Obama had all these goals for a good climate bill, and that Boucher was ruining Obama's plan. If this really was so, Obama would not have such kind words for Boucher.

These kinds of remarks along with the EPA's inability to block mountaintop removal mining makes me quite perplexed when I hear activists say we should kill the current bill so EPA can work its magic. I seriously doubt EPA would do better even if it moved in a timely fashion and cleared all the legal hurdles.

So, some general points I'm making to take away...

- I wouldn't bet the planet on the EPA, and I doubt China or India would either. Let's do our best to get a bill passed and improved out of the Senate that we can take to Copenhagen.

- I don't like Rick Boucher.

- President Obama is doing some good things and some bad things. However, if he doesn't adopt a much stronger public stance to pass a Senate bill and get a treaty in Copenhagen, his Presidency will go down in history as a colossal failure despite some of the good things he does.

- You can't take a stronger public approach if you're holding hands adoringly with Rick Boucher.

As the rest of the nation rejects coal plant after coal plant... Virginia is building one in SW and proposing another one three times the size in the Hampton Roads area.

As our neighbors in Maryland pass the strongest state legislation to regulate carbon emissions... Virginia's own Rick Boucher is working to water down and nullify any impact a federal climate bill could have.

It's a tough fight here in Virginia, and I will continue to fight every single day to promote sustainable energy policy for the commonwealth.

Amidst it all, I still remember things could be worse, we could be WEST VIRGINIA!



Our friends in West Virginia just declared coal the state rock.

Cross posted from our friends at Center for American Progress's Blog:

Gov. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has made coal the official state rock of his state. According to the West Virgina Coal Association, the teen-aged daughter of a coal company employee "got the measure placed before the state legislature this year with the help of Sen. Truman Chafin (D-Mingo) and Del. Harry Keith White (D-Mingo)." On Wednesday, Manchin signed the resolution into law:

Bituminous coal is now West Virginia's official state rock. Gov. Joe Manchin has signed a House of Delegates resolution making the designation based primarily on coal's contribution to the state's economy and history.

Despite $118 million in coal-mining annual income, West Virginia has the nation's lowest median household income, worst educational services, worst social assistance, the highest population with disabilities, and nearly a quarter of West Virginia children in poverty.

Seems to me the best way to preserve the state rock is to keep it in the GROUND! Who's with me?

This is cross-posted from: here

I've documented plenty of reasons why coal use needs to be phased out, and "clean coal" is a joke. In case you need a recap.....The coal industry has gotten a lot of much deserved negative press ever since the coal slurry dam disaster that happened a few months ago. This brought to light that, maybe we should regulate our coal ash. Of course, no amount of regulation will ever make

The Reality campaign launched a new ad campaign directed by the Coen brothers. It's great. Watch it!

Host Mike Tidwell talks to Kate Rooth about the civil disobedience planned at the Capitol Coal plant on March 2.

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee late on the night of January 27 snuck in a provision to President Obama's economic stimulus package that would allow as much as $50 BILLION of your dollars to be used as loan guarantees for construction of new nuclear reactors. This would be on top of the $18.5 Billion taxpayer dollars already authorized by Congress during the Bush administration.

Please CALL your Senators today (202-224-3121).

These loan guarantees would mean more nuclear reactors and more radioactive waste piling up in communities across our country. They would also mean less money for safer, cheaper and cleaner energy alternatives like solar and wind power.

The provision is vaguely worded. It would authorize $50 Billion in new loan guarantees for "eligible technologies." These technologies include nuclear, "clean coal," renewable energy sources and electric transmission. But the stimulus package is intended to create new jobs and economic activity over the next two years. Not only should new nuclear reactors and the false concept of