Florida Jumpin’ Off the Coal Train

In a number of setbacks for the coal industry, the state of Florida has turned down 2 coal-fired power plants in the past month. Republican governor of Florida Charlie Crist has come out in support of these recent decisions, saying the future of coal as fuel for generating electricity in Florida is “not looking good.”

One of the proposed power plants, if built, would have been the largest coal-fired plant in the country & located just 68 miles from the Everglades National Park in Glades County. A unanimous decision was made by the Florida Power Commission day to deny Florida Power and Light’s proposal. Governor Crist applauded their decision by saying, “The Public Service Commission… made the right decision for the environment, the right decision for the Everglades and the right decision for Florida.”

Then a month later, the partnership of local electric companies planning to build a new coal plant in Taylor County, Florida, suspended its efforts in the face of “growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions.”

Once again the governor showed his approval with the decision, adding,

“We’re obviously moving in a different direction and I think we need to continue to explore solar, wind, nuclear, other alternatives that are clean emission. Continuing to rely on foreign oil and coal, I don’t think, is in the best interest of our state.”

Not to mention, in the best interest of the communities of Appalachia, whose mountains would be destroyed to feed these new coal plants.

Read more: Florida moving away from coal as power source of future

About Sandra Diaz

With Colombian roots, a Philadelphia, Pa.-childhood, and more than a decade in Florida before joining Appalachian Voices, Sandra served as AV's North Carolina campaign coordinator and driving force behind the Red, White & Water campaign from 2007 to 2013.