Destructive Energy, and Clean Cars

It's a day of split news - first the bad. If you think coal is a good power source, there are many reasons proving the opposite, one of them being the extremely destructive form of coal mining called mountaintop removal. Yesterday the White House approved a rule allowing mining companies to dump mining debris like rocks and dirt into nearby streams and valleys.

This elimination of the stream buffer rule is terrible news for Appalachia, where the majority of mountaintop removal coal mining sites are located. Each of these sites is slowly destroying the area. Our own Ed Hopkins is quoted in this NY Times article discussing how terrible this ruling is for communities and the environment:

"The E.P.A.’s own scientists have concluded that dumping mining waste into streams devastates downstream water quality. By signing off on this rule, the agency has abdicated its responsibility."

For shame on the Bush Administration, trying to find more ways to let the coal industry ignore the environment, along with community health and safety, all for its own benefit.

For the good news, we go to Florida, where the state's Environmental Regulation Commission voted 6 - 1 to approve stricter car tailpipe emissions (going along with California and 12 other states pushing for the same, if only the EPA would grant that waiver).

There is still a ways to go on putting these emissions standards into action, but it's good to see more states taking a stand on vehicle emissions.