President Trump And Allies Push To Save A Very Specific Coal Plant

[Rhiannon12866]

In his latest effort to boost the coal business — and in the process help a major supporter — President Trump has called on the Tennessee Valley Authority to, essentially, ignore the advice of its staff and keep a large coal-fired power plant operating.

The move has drawn extra scrutiny because that plant buys coal from a company headed by a large campaign donor to Trump, Murray Energy Corp. Chairman, President and CEO Robert Murray.

The facility at issue is the last remaining unit at TVA's Paradise Fossil Plant in western Kentucky.

In an environmental assessment signed Monday. TVA staff proposed retiring the coal-fired plant. The report says, "As a large coal unit with medium operating costs and a high forced outage rate, as well as the need for significant repairs, PAF Unit 3 does not fit current and likely future portfolio needs."

<snip>

Despite that, President Trump said on Twitter Monday evening, "Coal is an important part of our electricity generation mix and @TVAnews should give serious consideration to all factors before voting to close viable power plants, like Paradise #3 in Kentucky!"

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Energy Secretary Rick Perry also took to Twitter to echo the president's message.


Read more: https://www.npr.org/2019/02/12/693966847/president-trump-and-allies-push-to-save-a-very-specific-coal-plant



President Trump is pressuring the Tennessee Valley Authority not to close a coal-fired power plant at its Paradise Fossil Plant in Kentucky. Dylan Lovan/AP

[Duppers]

1. Booo! Hisssss! Murray is an evil devil.

Read that earlier. Murray is a f****** crook that ignores safety rules and kills miners. Not to mention polluting drinking water.

Wish there were a hell for like him and tRump people.

Coal Mine Company Denies Responsibility Despite Disaster Settlement
September 27, 2012
The Labor Department says a Thursday settlement in the 2007 Crandall Canyon mine disaster clearly leaves mine owner Murray Energy with "acknowledged responsibility for the failures that led to the tragedy."

"These failures resulted in the needless deaths of nine" miners and rescuers, Solicitor of Labor Patricia Smith says.

But despite company signatures on the settlement document, Murray Energy tells NPR "this settlement is not an admission of any contribution to the August 2007 accidents."

The settlement [PDF] also reduces the Labor Department's initial assessment of $1.639 million in fines for flagrant, reckless and highly negligent violations of mine safety law to $949,351 in penalties.

That's a reduction of more than 40 percent, but it's still the third-largest fine ever levied against a coal company, according to the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

The settlement includes Murray Energy's acceptance of four violations considered "contributory" to two fatal August 2007 mine collapses at Crandall Canyon.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/09/27/161920764/coal-mine-company-denies-responsibility-despite-disaster-settlement

From 2015:
The biggest private coal company in America just sued the Obama administration to stop the most important step for clean water in a decade.1

President Obama’s "Waters of the U.S." rule will protect the drinking-water sources for one in three Americans.

But Murray Energy—a giant coal mining company and major water polluter—is digging into their deep pockets to stop these clean water protections from going into effect.

This one company has repeatedly been cited by environmental officials for leaking coal-slurry waste into rivers like Captina Creek in Ohio.

The CEO of Murray Energy is attacking clean water in the court of public opinion as well, comparing the EPA to "the Gestapo" and blasting what he calls the "insane, regal Administration of King Obama. [!!]

Sources:
1. Murray Energy Corporation Sues Obama EPA for Unconstitutional Rule, WBOY, July 1, 2015
2. Murray Energy Turns Captina Creek Into Coal Sludge River in Ohio, Switchboard, October 3, 2010
3. Coal CEO Blasts 'Insane, Regal Administration Of King Obama' For Regulating Emissions, The Huffington Post, September 23, 2014

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I remember that horrible tragedy very well - it was all over the news!

And he sure is a horrific excuse for a human being - fits in very well with Trump!

But he got a well deserved comeuppance today:

TVA defies Trump, votes to shut down two aging coal-fired power plants
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1127123739

[Duppers]

3. Thank you! Wonderful news!!