Environmentalists ask Congress to cut coal

WASHINGTON, June 14 (UPI) -- U.S. environmental groups are up in arms over legislation in Congress, currently under debate, that would fund coal to liquids.

Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Jim Bunning, R-Ky., introduced legislation in January that would give tax breaks to coal companies working to utilize coal as an alternative fuel source. However, Obama recently backed off the issue with his aides saying he won't offer his support to the technology until it's more environmentally friendly.

There's also $10 billion in subsidies for coal-to-liquids plants being pushed by Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., and the possibility of a mandate for liquefied coal fuel in the Senate energy bill that went to the floor Monday.

Members of Friends of the Earth, the U.S. Climate Emergency Council, the Earth Day Network, Appalachian Voices, Greenpeace and the Energy Action Coalition all gathered on the U.S. Capitol lawn and dirtied their hands with coal in protest of proposed legislation.

"This is not an economic or environmental issue, this is a moral issue," said Mike Tidwell, director of USCEC. "If Congress thinks coal is the answer, then they don't understand global warming."

The groups called for coal-to-liquids legislation to be squashed and instead promote conservation, efficiency and renewables like wind and solar.

"The idea that we will have to use more coal is ludicrous. We could consume less energy like California, Europe and Japan and then there wouldn't be a need for coal," Tidwell said. "The solution to powering our automobiles is to use less. If in 10 years all the cars on the road get 50 miles per gallon, national fuel consumption would be cut in half."