Coal to Liquid Fuel Subsidies & Mountain Top Removal or a Sustainable Enterprise Empowerment Zone?

by: Clem Guttata

Tue Jun 05, 2007 at 10:22:40 AM EDT

First of all, a big shout out to our fiends at Future Majority ("blogging progressive youth politics") for linking to our CTL coverage. This well written diary (and informed comments) speaks well of their community.

Speaking of well informed comments, there are two lengthy comments here at West Virginia Blue that could easily be their own diaries. First, lifelong resident of Appalachian Virginia va dare shares her valuable perspective in "[http://www.wvablue.c... Repeating my e-mail from last night". Welcome, va dare!

Second, site regular bluemcdowell provides an excellent view from the heart of W.Va. coal mining region in "Most McDowell Countians I know strongly favor this; they really haven't heard our side of the story".

Click and read their comments.

Question. I'm looking for a membership list of the House and Senate CTL Fuel Caucus. Has anyone seen one?

Finally, our dailyKos diary on CTL/MTR has clocked in with over 500 comments! There's the usual chaff with the wheat, but the process of engaging with commenters there (plus commenters here!) really helped distill the key message. Below the break, a first draft:

Al Gore - "A horrible mistake"

by: WVaBlue

Sun Jun 03, 2007 at 20:36:26 PM EDT

Is your Senator one of the 12 cosponsors? Is your representative one of the 30 cosponsors in the house? The list is so long I had to put it below the break!

Check the list and then start contacting them to register your disappointment. As Al Gore says, they are making "a horrible mistake" by co-sponsoring this massive corporate welfare subsidy for a disastrous energy policy.

CTL subsidies: corporate welfare writ large, environmental disaster, what's not to like?

by: Clem Guttata

Wed May 30, 2007 at 09:02:30 AM EDT

I am a big fan of Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV-01). He's been right since day one about Iraq. His leadership of the House Natural Resource Committee--starting with rolling back the Republican committee name change--has been a breath of fresh air. He's stood up to the coal mining industry on mine safety issues. I've often wished I had a Rep. here in WV-02 that was half as strong on progressive issues as he is.

But even Rep. Rahall has his blind spots. With proposed coal-to-liquid legislation Rahall (along with a surprisingly long list of other Democrats and Republicans from Appalachia and nearby states) is sending one big fat wet kiss to the coal mining industry.