Leadership needed to break coal's toxic grip

Is it apathy, ignorance or both that makes us mindlessly allow ourselves and our environment to be poisoned by coal? Is it that we are duped by the ads of the coal coalition and the politicians that support the coal and utility companies? Where is the outrage? What does the coal coalition stand to lose if real change takes place?

In 2007, the 48 companies that make up the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, made a combined profit of $57 billion ( Duke Energy, $1.5 billion, and Norfolk Southern, $1.46 billion, are two).

To protect their investments ACCCE spent $125 million in the first nine months of 2008, lobbying Congress to delay global warming pollution reduction until clean coal technology is ready, and $45 million trying to convince Americans that clean coal is the answer to our energy crisis.

The spokesman for ACCCE, Joe Lucas, admits it will be 10 to 15 years before carbon capture and storage will be available commercially. Ten to 15 years, when global scientists say we have no more than four or five years to make drastic changes with our energy policy to avoid the climate tipping point.

One of ACCCE's arguments is that coal is a clean, cheap source of energy. At every stage of coal development, it is neither clean nor cheap. Today, the preferred method of mining is mountain-top removal where an entire mountain top is removed by blasting. Once coal is removed from other materials by use of water and toxic chemicals, valleys are filled with the leftovers — toxic material in earthen dams with no liners.

Not only do these valley fills disrupt stream flow and pollute underground water, but in Kentucky in 2001, one of these earthen dams holding back 300 million gallons of toxic waste, failed. The EPA said it was the worst environmental disaster east of the Mississippi. Is this clean? Cheap?

Ash is a by-product of coal-fired power plants. In many cases, it is stored in ash pools behind unlined, earthen dams. On Dec. 22, 2008 the Kingston plant in Harriman, Tenn., failed, releasing over one billion gallons of toxic waste. That's three times the amount of the Kentucky disaster.

What toxic materials are in ash pools? Arsenic, mercury, and lead to name only three. Arsenic levels since the spill have been measured at 100 times the safe level for humans. Is this clean? Cheap?

Even though ash contains toxic material, it isn't classified as toxic.Therefore, it is free of virtually any regulation in ash pools. Duke Energy has 10 of these in North Carolina.

What harm do these toxins create? Mercury causes brain, kidney and lung damage. Arsenic causes vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and death. Lead causes irreversible neurological damage and reproductive toxicity.

Duke Energy's Cliffside plant, being built in Rutherford County, is projected, among other pollutants, to release 400 pounds of mercury and 3 to 6 million tons of CO2 into the air annually. Another blow to our environment is that Cliffside is projected to use 20 million gallons of water daily. Is this clean? Cheap? Healthy?

What about recreational costs? Powellton Coal Co. is in the process of starting mountain-top removal of Gauley Mountain, West Va. Gauley Mountain sits astride the New River and the Gauley River gorge where 275,000 rafters annually enjoy the out of doors. Will their playground be spoiled?

If you would like to see what mountain-top removal leaves behind, go to Google Earth and zero in on West Virginia and surrounding states. One can easily see the destruction. Mining companies say they practice reclamation. You be the judge. Is this clean? Cheap?

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry has consistently supported coal and gas over alternative energy. McHenry says he supports alternative energy; however.

In 2008, he opposed each major piece of legislation for alternative energy (H.R. 6899, H.R. 6049 and H.R. 5351).

Not only is coal not cheap or clean, it is the major contributor to global warming. We must move away from it with all deliberate speed. Political leadership is the first step along that path. Let's hope McHenry will vote on the right side of history.

Lee Brinson is a resident of Hickory.

Note: The N.C. Division of Air Quality has scheduled public hearings on a proposed air quality permit revision on Duke Energy's Cliffside Plant on Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. at Chase High School in Forest City and on Jan. 22 at 6 p..m. at Statesville High School in Statesville.

Here are the power plants in North Carolina with coal ash ponds as reported by The Associated Press:

Progress Energy Carolinas Inc., Buncombe County, 106,000 tons

Progress Energy, Chatham County, 101,300 tons

Progress Energy, Wayne County, 106,100 tons

Progress Energy, Person County, 46,300 tons

Progress Energy, New Hanover County, 166,000 tons

Progress Energy, Robeson County, 47,000 tons

Progress Energy, Person County, 212,800 tons

Duke Energy Corp., Gaston County, 143,400 tons

Duke Energy, Rowan County, 121,900 tons

Duke Energy, Cleveland County, 96,900 tons

Duke Energy, Rockingham County, 28,500 tons