Bloomberg slams Trumps plan to force taxpayers to subsidize an industry that may kill them
MARK HAND
https://thinkprogress.org/bloomberg-funds-anti-coal-campaign-b3840d1d9b5e/
"SNIP.............
By pushing for coal subsidies, the Trump administration wants to force taxpayers to prop up a heavily polluting industry when cleaner and cheaper energy sources are widely available, Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, said Wednesday.
“Why should taxpayers be forced to subsidize an industry that may kill them when cleaner energy sources are available and also cheaper? The Trump administration wants taxpayers to pay more for an earlier death,” Bloomberg said at an event in Washington, D.C. where he pledged $64 million to support efforts by the Sierra Club and other groups to move the nation’s power sector off coal.
Bloomberg criticized efforts by the Trump administration to effectively subsidize coal-fired power plants at customers’ expense. The Department of Energy (DOE) sent a proposal to federal energy regulators late last month that would guarantee profits to coal and nuclear power plants in certain regions of the country. Just this week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt announced plans to repeal the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era rule that would have reduced emissions from the electricity sector.
Despite the negative climate and health effects from coal plants, the Trump administration is focused on helping the coal industry. Energy Secretary Rick Perry formally proposed that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) take swift action to help coal and nuclear plants — arguing that they address threats to U.S. electrical grid resiliency. Perry’s goal is to stop cheaper, cleaner renewables like solar and wind from shutting down dirtier and more expensive plants like coal and nuclear.
..............SNIP"
= new reply since forum marked as read
