Boom in coal-fired power plant construction creates new fronts in global-warming debate

The past few years have seen a sharp increase in the construction of coal-fired power plants, as energy companies have worked to meet increased demand. Seems like The Rural Blog has an item on one about every week (click on links below to see some). Almost every plant faces a fight from environmental groups who are making each a referendum on coal and global warming, reports Matthew Brown of The Associated Press.

According to an AP tally, at least 48 plants are being contested in 29 states, with many of those contests ending up federal and state courtrooms. "Environmental groups cite 59 canceled, delayed or blocked plants as evidence they are turning back the 'coal rush,'" Brown writes. "That stacks up against 22 new plants now under construction in 14 states — the most in more than two decades."

Supporters of the plants say coal helps alleviate the need for foreign oil and argue that environmentalists put the country's power grid at risk by opposing new construction. To make their case for coal, energy and mining companies are pouring big money — $15 million in 2007 and probably $35 million in 2008 — into the industry group Americans for Balanced Energy Choices and its promotional campaign. Last year, the Sierra Club spent $1 million fighting coal plants.

Environmentalists have seized on a Supreme Court ruling from April in the case of Massachusetts v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which held that carbon dioxide is a pollutant open to regulation. Last week, however, a Montana state panel upheld its air-quality permit for a proposed plant in the Great Falls area despite claims that it would emit as much carbon dioxide as 500,000 vehicles. (Read more)