Blankenship, Kennedy debate coal, climate change

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Source: West Virginia Public Radio

January 21, 2010 · While Administration officials work to determine new policies to oversee mountaintop removal permits, a much more public debate on the subject was held Thursday in Charleston.

Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship and environmentalist Robert Kennedy, Jr. faced off on coal, climate change and the nation’s energy future.

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Kennedy argued that the controversial practice of mountaintop removal is not only bad for the environment, but is so efficient that it’s eliminated most of West Virginia’s mining jobs.

“Don often talks about his concern for the workers of this state,” Kennedy said. “But this is an industry that through the ruthless pursuit of total efficiency has eliminated 90,000 jobs.”

Read more: http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=12858

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Bobby took on the kingpin of mountaintop removal mining - seen here from the time he assaulted an ABC News cameramen in 2008

[doc03]

1. Well now with the SCOTUS decision Blankenship

the owner of Massey Energy the nations largest coal mining company can buy the US government. The man owns the state of West Virginia already.

[OhioBlue]

2. thanks for posting - I've been looking for an online version. n/t

[NecklyTyler]

3. It is time to stop using coal

Our burning of dirty fossil fuel has led to global warming. Massey Energy and all the other coal companies need to be systematic restricted while clean, renewable energy replaces our dependence on coal. Destroying the environment is bad enough, but destroying civilization as we know it is unacceptable

[naaman fletcher]

4. totally impossible..

Please, we have to live in the realm of reality. I'm all for proper regulation off coal mining and burning, but if you think we can just "stop using coal" and replace it with "renewable energy" then I am sorry but you are living in the realm of fantasy.

Such fantasies don't help the environment, as they make environmentalists look like idiots.

[Kolesar]

5. An efficiency/conservation program can eliminate 20% of coal in a few years

It is just that we have not tried yet. Status quo is unacceptable.

[naaman fletcher]

6. sure.. that is different from stopping all use off coal.