Kentucky Governor Beshear wrong about 'war on coal' - op-ed

I'm writing in response to Gov. Steve Beshear's characterization of the implementation of sulfur dioxide, particulate and mercury pollution standards of the federal Clean Air Act as being part of a "war on coal."

The national ambient air quality standards are adopted and revised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act after rigorous independent scientific review, in order to satisfy Congress's directive that the standards protect public health "with an adequate margin of safety."

These standards apply to all major sources of those pollutants, not just coal-fired power plants. The impact on coal-fired units is greater because they are a significant source of these pollutants, including two-thirds of sulfur emissions nationwide.

The rising costs of coal-fired electricity in part reflect the internalization of costs that have been historically paid by the most vulnerable of Kentucky's citizens in premature death, respiratory and pulmonary disease and other exposure-related health problems. For more information on the consequences of breathing these pollutants, visit www.epa.gov/air/airpollutants.html.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/06/01/1759428/tom-fitzgerald-beshear-wrong-about.html#ixzz1O1eDQm7u

Wean themselves off of it so they don't feel like there is a war against it.

he/she is decidedly ANTI-fossil fuel.

... the christmas stockings of those who stuck us with it.