Time To Stop Using Coal

From today's EEI newsletter:

Study Ranking States' CO2 Emissions Shows Coal's Heavy Impact

A study analyzing the comparative CO2 emissions levels of all 50 states found that the use of coal-based plants dramatically influenced the ranking of individual states, the Associated Press reported.

The newswire's study found that Texas produced more emissions than both California and Pennsylvania, while Wyoming ranked highest in per capita emissions, but its Idaho neighbor ranked last in per capita emissions thanks to its reliance on hydropower. Gov. Dave Freudenthal, D-Wyo., contended that the top ranking was primarily "a consequence of energy that is developed to feed the rest of the national economy." Frank Maisano, spokesman for the Bracewell Giuliani law firm, added that "these net exporters of energy are always going to produce more carbon dioxide."

DOE Assistant Secretary Alexander Karsner was quoted as saying: "If the atmosphere could talk, it wouldn't say, 'Kudos to California, not so good to Wyoming.' It would say, 'Stop sending me emissions.'"
Associated Press via SFGate.com , June 2.