Comments on: 24 Hours After Touting Clean Coal In SOTU, White House Drops Ambitious Clean Coal Project http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/ Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:23:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: shellyT http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4294433 shellyT Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:15:35 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4294433 There is no such thing as clean coal! We should be glad this thing is dead. Unfortunately Barack Obama spent a lot of time fighting for this, and got a lot of donations from Exelon Energy.... around $275,000. There is no such thing as clean coal!
We should be glad this thing is dead.
Unfortunately Barack Obama spent a lot of time fighting for this, and got a lot of donations from Exelon Energy…. around $275,000.

]]> By: MapleStreet http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4250161 MapleStreet Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:06:08 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4250161 11. Katy - wait for the other shoe to fall. Remember that Shrub has declared that fed agencies are free to ignore any earmarks. 11. Katy – wait for the other shoe to fall. Remember that Shrub has declared that fed agencies are free to ignore any earmarks.

]]> By: DaTruth http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249875 DaTruth Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:25:51 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249875 what an idiot freak? dunno what he's hooked on but he sures acts like a junkie!!!! what an idiot freak? dunno what he’s hooked on but he sures acts like a junkie!!!!

]]> By: bernard quatermass http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249391 bernard quatermass Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:36:02 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249391 Oh, for a troll to explain to me in heated words how this is very brilliant and will help America. Sigh. Oh, for a troll to explain to me in heated words how this is very brilliant and will help America.

Sigh.

]]> By: curmudgeon http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249372 curmudgeon Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:28:49 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249372 Re: #44 -- If the oil companies were to purchase the coal companies with their idle billions in loot, then they could have it both ways, couldn't they? Re: #44 —
If the oil companies were to purchase the coal companies with their idle billions in loot, then they could have it both ways, couldn’t they?

]]> By: YouCantHandleDaTruth http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249356 YouCantHandleDaTruth Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:22:50 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249356 America is the Saudi Arabia of Coal, we hold 25% of the worlds PROVEN coal reserve which could be converted to oil, diesel and very high octane gasoline. The Germans did it on a large scale in the 40s and we make synthetic oil now in the millions of barrels of oil a year. This move was for oil companies to stay rich, without oil America slows down and Bush's homeboys can't be rich... America is the Saudi Arabia of Coal, we hold 25% of the worlds PROVEN coal reserve which could be converted to oil, diesel and very high octane gasoline.

The Germans did it on a large scale in the 40s and we make synthetic oil now in the millions of barrels of oil a year.

This move was for oil companies to stay rich, without oil America slows down and Bush’s homeboys can’t be rich…

]]> By: Severus http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249353 Severus Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:21:30 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249353 As a funny aside. A local business man who is a huge Bush supporter (thinks he is among the very best presidents ever) and who is a huge land owner in the area as well as the operator of a chain of hardware/ram supply type stores is probably going to lose major $$ because of this decision. As a funny aside. A local business man who is a huge Bush supporter (thinks he is among the very best presidents ever) and who is a huge land owner in the area as well as the operator of a chain of hardware/ram supply type stores is probably going to lose major $$ because of this decision.

]]> By: curmudgeon http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249315 curmudgeon Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:00:43 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249315 Remember Chimpy touting the promise of using switchgrass to produce ethanol in the 2006 SOTU? The MSM, as well as most of the electorate, appears to have developed another convenient case of selective amnesia with regard to this, as well as many other pronouncements the Bubble Boy has made. As with swinging a golf club or a baseball bat, follow through is extremely important, a quality the MSM does not choose to possess. The only pronouncements we should take seriously from the Oval Office are those that promote the demise of the lower and middle classes of this country, curtailment of our precious liberties at home, squandering of the earth's resources, evasion of accountability, and threats of murder and destruction abroad. Remember Chimpy touting the promise of using switchgrass to produce ethanol in the 2006 SOTU? The MSM, as well as most of the electorate, appears to have developed another convenient case of selective amnesia with regard to this, as well as many other pronouncements the Bubble Boy has made.

As with swinging a golf club or a baseball bat, follow through is extremely important, a quality the MSM does not choose to possess.

The only pronouncements we should take seriously from the Oval Office are those that promote the demise of the lower and middle classes of this country, curtailment of our precious liberties at home, squandering of the earth’s resources, evasion of accountability, and threats of murder and destruction abroad.

]]> By: celticjihad http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249309 celticjihad Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:59:22 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249309 The DOE is changing the playing field on this. Now they want to update the project to "save taxpayers money". They contend the original project that started in 2003 with the FutureGen alliance is outmoded. That the Alliance can bid on the new revised DOE projects. The damning thing is the Secy of the DOE on Nov.30 2007 sent a letter to all the parties that the DOE was fully behind the project, no reservations or hints of problems were noted. They don't like the decision of the independent alliance so they change the rules...typical of the behavior of these self serving, egocentric, neoconservatives in the Bush/Cheney admin. I don't see any new Republican president going along with what had been previously planned. I have my doubts about Hillary, but maybe. She has a little bit of her roots from here. Obama has been noticeable quiet on this, but I guess he has other fish to fry right now. I would give it a snowballs chance in hell of getting any federal funds right now. Its really too bad because the area around Mattoon could use the economic boost. The DOE is changing the playing field on this. Now they want to update the project to “save taxpayers money”. They contend the original project that started in 2003 with the FutureGen alliance is outmoded. That the Alliance can bid on the new revised DOE projects. The damning thing is the Secy of the DOE on Nov.30 2007 sent a letter to all the parties that the DOE was fully behind the project, no reservations or hints of problems were noted. They don’t like the decision of the independent alliance so they change the rules…typical of the behavior of these self serving, egocentric, neoconservatives in the Bush/Cheney admin. I don’t see any new Republican president going along with what had been previously planned. I have my doubts about Hillary, but maybe. She has a little bit of her roots from here. Obama has been noticeable quiet on this, but I guess he has other fish to fry right now. I would give it a snowballs chance in hell of getting any federal funds right now. Its really too bad because the area around Mattoon could use the economic boost.

]]> By: Loonie http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249302 Loonie Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:55:14 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249302 Don't we know by now that George W. Bush always issues a signing statement on his SOTUs? Don’t we know by now that George W. Bush always issues a signing statement on his SOTUs?

]]> By: Severus http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249272 Severus Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:41:19 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249272 People around here are already asking if the project could be revived under a new administration. The Texas sites were terrible. The illinois site has coal mines within 40 miles. It can pump the CO2 striaght down, And the rock layer the CO2 gets pumped to has three caps to hold it in. It has the highway and community infrastructures available. A rail ine runs along one edge of the property. They have options to buy acreage around the site. The proper gague electrical lines are in place. The wastewater was going to be recycled to drinking water purity. The university of illinois (Great physics & Engineering departments) is 50 miles away. Mattoon is equidistant from Chicago, Indianapolis and St L0ouis etc. etc. etc... The Texas sites do nto have the water, or coal, or rail or rally anything other than political connections. If all the criteria were laid out and then each sites qualifications were laid out blind and scored there would b no contest. The only thing Texas has over Mattoon or Tuscola (the other Illinois site) is a connection to the administration. I felt all along that the whole project was designed to be a give away to the adminsitrations friends and that actual merit would have little impact on the final decision. People around here are already asking if the project could be revived under a new administration.

The Texas sites were terrible. The illinois site has coal mines within 40 miles. It can pump the CO2 striaght down, And the rock layer the CO2 gets pumped to has three caps to hold it in. It has the highway and community infrastructures available. A rail ine runs along one edge of the property. They have options to buy acreage around the site. The proper gague electrical lines are in place. The wastewater was going to be recycled to drinking water purity. The university of illinois (Great physics & Engineering departments) is 50 miles away. Mattoon is equidistant from Chicago, Indianapolis and St L0ouis etc. etc. etc…

The Texas sites do nto have the water, or coal, or rail or rally anything other than political connections. If all the criteria were laid out and then each sites qualifications were laid out blind and scored there would b no contest. The only thing Texas has over Mattoon or Tuscola (the other Illinois site) is a connection to the administration.

I felt all along that the whole project was designed to be a give away to the adminsitrations friends and that actual merit would have little impact on the final decision.

]]> By: Cal Malenky http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249232 Cal Malenky Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:19:22 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249232 He also said in the SOTU that more troops would be returning home from Iraq this year, then the next day said that they would be staying. He's the bait-and-switch, signing statement, recess appointment, executive privilege president, determined to leave an even bigger mess for the next president, because he can. He also said in the SOTU that more troops would be returning home from Iraq this year, then the next day said that they would be staying.
He’s the bait-and-switch, signing statement, recess appointment, executive privilege president, determined to leave an even bigger mess for the next president, because he can.

]]> By: Cal Malenky http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249223 Cal Malenky Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:15:11 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249223 Whattya bet the project gets resurrected in Texas. Whattya bet the project gets resurrected in Texas.

]]> By: Severus http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249196 Severus Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:01:39 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249196 I live right near the Future Gen site. MY Wife has been in on the project nearly since the begining. Way back when they started looking at the project I told her that there was no way this adminsitraiton would allow a project like this to go to a state where the president does nto have large support. No way would they let it go toa state where both senators and the Gov are all democrats, no way in heck. It's non-political she told me, the deicsion will be made by the Future Gen people, not the government. She would not believe that the project could be halted because of politics. Well a few days before the site was announced officially most people around here knew that Mattoon had won the site, they really did have the best site and I'm not just saying that because I work and live nearby. But the DOE tried to halt the announcement. Once again I told her the project will not happen in Illinois under this adminsitration. They won the bidding and I stuck to my guns. The site selection may have been non-political, but funding is 100% political. And as I see it the withheld funding is part of a program of punishment to Illinois for not supportig Bush. The DOE has drasticall cut funding for FERMI lab and now they are threatening to cut Ethanol funding AND remove Ethanol tarifs. If that is the case we will see the US markets flooded with Brazillian Ethanol at much lower prices than it can be producd here in the states. Also it will cost companies in the states $$ profits, ethanol jobs and construction jobs for Ethanol plants uunder construction which could possibly be halted...afteralll why bother completing a $500million dollar project when you will not get the return on your investment that you need to make it profitable? Lastly it will cost the farmers by lowering grain prices which have been bid up because of Ethanol demand. The ripple effect of this with seed & fertilizer sales along with new equipment sales and other ag services etc... will not have a positive effect on our economy. All this to exact politcal punishment for states who do not support a failed president. I live right near the Future Gen site. MY Wife has been in on the project nearly since the begining. Way back when they started looking at the project I told her that there was no way this adminsitraiton would allow a project like this to go to a state where the president does nto have large support. No way would they let it go toa state where both senators and the Gov are all democrats, no way in heck. It’s non-political she told me, the deicsion will be made by the Future Gen people, not the government. She would not believe that the project could be halted because of politics.

Well a few days before the site was announced officially most people around here knew that Mattoon had won the site, they really did have the best site and I’m not just saying that because I work and live nearby. But the DOE tried to halt the announcement. Once again I told her the project will not happen in Illinois under this adminsitration. They won the bidding and I stuck to my guns. The site selection may have been non-political, but funding is 100% political. And as I see it the withheld funding is part of a program of punishment to Illinois for not supportig Bush. The DOE has drasticall cut funding for FERMI lab and now they are threatening to cut Ethanol funding AND remove Ethanol tarifs. If that is the case we will see the US markets flooded with Brazillian Ethanol at much lower prices than it can be producd here in the states. Also it will cost companies in the states $$ profits, ethanol jobs and construction jobs for Ethanol plants uunder construction which could possibly be halted…afteralll why bother completing a $500million dollar project when you will not get the return on your investment that you need to make it profitable? Lastly it will cost the farmers by lowering grain prices which have been bid up because of Ethanol demand. The ripple effect of this with seed & fertilizer sales along with new equipment sales and other ag services etc… will not have a positive effect on our economy. All this to exact politcal punishment for states who do not support a failed president.

]]> By: Poop on Republicans http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249160 Poop on Republicans Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:14:50 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249160 Look, I'm all for renewable energy, but where are we going to put these 5 million windmills? And the 5 million solar paneled buildings... That's just not financially sound at this time. Current technologies aren't cost effective for the most part. For example, there was a military base recently that spent an outrageous amount of money putting cells all over the top of parking garages and such all over the base. Unfortunately, the cost was such that they will never recover this cost by energy saved as the lifespan of the cells are far shorter than the projected break-even point. Renewable energy sources like wind are great, and are a good supplement to our overall generation, but are not the only solution, and will not output enough electricity to end our coal dependency. Look, I’m all for renewable energy, but where are we going to put these 5 million windmills? And the 5 million solar paneled buildings… That’s just not financially sound at this time. Current technologies aren’t cost effective for the most part. For example, there was a military base recently that spent an outrageous amount of money putting cells all over the top of parking garages and such all over the base. Unfortunately, the cost was such that they will never recover this cost by energy saved as the lifespan of the cells are far shorter than the projected break-even point.

Renewable energy sources like wind are great, and are a good supplement to our overall generation, but are not the only solution, and will not output enough electricity to end our coal dependency.

]]> By: WDRussell http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249152 WDRussell Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:00:52 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249152 I live on the border of Appalachia. Oil may be king, but coal is still a crown prince. It is imperative that we find a way to get energy from coal, other than just burning it. I live on the border of Appalachia. Oil may be king, but coal is still a crown prince. It is imperative that we find a way to get energy from coal, other than just burning it.

]]> By: toasterhead http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249133 toasterhead Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:29:53 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249133 <i>Isn’t “Clean Coal” a bad idea? seriously…I guess I don’t know enough about it. But if they pulled the plug it must be too “clean”, although I thought it was not really “clean” like it’s supposed to be anyway…so is this bad? Comment by evil_framers_of_the_constitution — January 31, 2008 @ 12:52 am</i> Clean Coal is just another fictional character in the right-wing arsenal, like Islamofascism, the free market, and Jack Bauer. Isn’t “Clean Coal” a bad idea? seriously…I guess I don’t know enough about it. But if they pulled the plug it must be too “clean”, although I thought it was not really “clean” like it’s supposed to be anyway…so is this bad?

Comment by evil_framers_of_the_constitution — January 31, 2008 @ 12:52 am

Clean Coal is just another fictional character in the right-wing arsenal, like Islamofascism, the free market, and Jack Bauer.

]]> By: evil_framers_of_the_constitution http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249108 evil_framers_of_the_constitution Thu, 31 Jan 2008 05:52:30 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249108 Isn't "Clean Coal" a bad idea? seriously...I guess I don't know enough about it. But if they pulled the plug it must be too "clean", although I thought it was not really "clean" like it's supposed to be anyway...so is this bad? Isn’t “Clean Coal” a bad idea? seriously…I guess I don’t know enough about it. But if they pulled the plug it must be too “clean”, although I thought it was not really “clean” like it’s supposed to be anyway…so is this bad?

]]> By: Vanthomas http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249105 Vanthomas Thu, 31 Jan 2008 05:33:55 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249105 Die Bush. Die Bush.

]]> By: RUCerious http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/comment-page-1/#comment-4249098 RUCerious Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:58:31 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/30/future-gen/#comment-4249098 In 25 years on Capitol Hill, I have never witnessed such a cruel deception,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said, hinting at the administration’s political considerations for the project’s demise. Where the hell have you been for the last seven years, Dickie boy? In 25 years on Capitol Hill, I have never witnessed such a cruel deception,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said, hinting at the administration’s political considerations for the project’s demise.

Where the hell have you been for the last seven years, Dickie boy?

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