Groups call for halt to construction of coal-fired power plants
An environmental group leading the charge to stop the construction of coal-fired power plants in Texas sent a letter to the state’s largest power company Tuesday urging it to abandon its plans for 11 such plants.
“We oppose all aspects of your irresponsible proposal,” says the letter, which was signed by Environmental Defense and 50 other advocacy groups and addressed to Dallas-based TXU Corp. “The 11 additional coal plants proposed by TXU will exacerbate Texas’ extensive global warming pollution by discharging 78 million new tons of heat-trapping (carbon dioxide) each year.”
That amount of carbon dioxide is equal to the annual emissions of about 14 million cars, according to the letter.
The company, for its part, has said it is committed to lowering its emissions 20 percent while doubling its coal-burning capacity.
