Recent records from the U.S. Department of Energy provided by utilities show that more than 30 coal plants have been built since 2008. 
The new construction of coal plants stretches from Arizona, Illinois, South Carolina, and Washington. This is the largest expansion of coal plants in the U.S. in over 20 years. It is the equivalent of adding another 22 million new vehicles spewing CO2 into our atmosphere. Utility companies are emboldened to build coal plants, because they see that the U.S. is not serious about passing climate change legislation that would put a damper on new coal plant construction. Beyond the lack of a serious legislative directive, the fact remains that coal plants are cheaper than building a nuclear or natural gas power plant. They are more reliable in producing a constant flow of electricity than solar or wind powered plants, and right now coal provides half of this country’s electricity. Coal is still an abundant fossil fuel source according to the utilities that use it, and one that is able to keep electric bills from rising too quickly. The demand for electricity at an affordable cost will always win out in an argument against paying higher fees from renewable energy sources. Economics in the pocket book always seems to win. But, the short-term approach to keeping our electric bills low has already harmed us. The quality of our environment has been severely eroded. We need to look beyond the economics of paying an electric bill, and start realizing that our future is dependent on clean air, clean water, and a rich eco system. Something that a coal fired plant does not contribute to.
Image:Coal Plant Painting by Artist Gary Schirmer
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