It would not be difficult or expensive to end using coal to generate electricity. The only thing that coal does is produce heat. We can produce heat with natural gas. Nothing else needs to change. All that needs to be done is to replace coal grates in furnaces with natural gas burners. Nothing else needs to change. Boilers, steam turbines, generators, buildings---everything else remains the same. So, ending coal use would not be difficult or expensive.

http://groups.msn.com/BreakingTheChains/general.msnw?action=get_message&mvie...

This is a very old plant built in 1955 and which constant updates are done. Seems like they need more than an overhaul. Maybe the infrastructure funds that Obama posed can be applied to these since they were part of the plan devised after the great depression to get people back to work but with a new technology.

I thought I just seen new Obama ads tauting clean coal and something about the technology to send men to the moon could be applied to coal to make it clean. Maybe his experts have answers we don't know about. Lets hope because if not, the region will go back to exporting to countries that don't care about clean coal just the low cost and we will loose jobs to the industries that can produce products at lower cost and we will still have the pollution even if its not coming from the US.

Here in Florida the local electric company just socked us with huge increase because they are closing 2 coal plants and switching to nuclear plants. Yeah we get to pay for it for 7 years while its being built and they don't have a clear answer to what they will do with the nuclear waste generated from it.

part of the answer?
hemp and all its by-products.

If I were Obama, I'd give big Coal and big Oil preferential tax treatment for every dollar they PROFITABLY earn in energy outside of coal or petroleum. And tax the hell out off their profits from coal or oil.

These companies have $$$, give them a better opportunity to spend it on a clean future rather than dirty one.

These huge corporations CAN shift, but only with a big carrot in front of their noses, because they can't see very well.

i'm republican. i voted for obama. whats up with that? either peolpe freeze to death or they burn coal. hmm which one would you choose? but i do agree we need something besides coal power production. before oil was so popular there was coal. the industry is as big if not bigger than the oil industry in this country. these people are living in their filth. coal companies dont care we do. were the only ones.

Hit them where it hurts. The TVA and the coal company are accountable. Sue the real eco-terrorist out of existence. This is not the first slurry dam failure.

exactly correct, ecocentric.

there is no such thing as 'clean coal,' and we must implore our leaders to embrace other, truly sustainable and non-polluting green energy alternatives.

This reminds me of that crazy claim that McCain and others actually believe in about "clean coal" technology. How much longer will world leaders allow the destruction of our planet?

More CO2 is created from burning coal than ALL the cars and trucks in America.

"The amount of poisons in TVA's ashy wastes that could irritate skin, trigger allergies and even cause cancer or neurological problems could not be determined Monday, officials said."

There are indirect ways to track if the toxic stew has caused neurological damage.

a) unusually low math & reading scores

b) increase incidents of autism or ADHD

c) significant spike in registered Republican voters

These are all key indicators that the toxic slurry is having an prenatal impact in pregnant mothers living in the area.