Michael Bloomberg Gives Half A Billion To Eliminate Coal

June 7, 2019

10 years ago this was a thriving downtown. Then came along the purely political #waroncoal funded by billionaire ideologues. They’ve ruined this town and many others. And they don’t care. #ruralamerica #energyworkers pic.twitter.com/K7pceXZuJW

— Daniel Turner (@DanielTurnerPTF) April 4, 2018

If you work in coal, a member of your family works in coal, or your community depends on coal, billionaire Michael Bloomberg has a message for you: tough luck.

This morning, Bloomberg announced that he will give half a billion dollars to a new campaign called “Beyond Carbon,” which begins with one simple yet destructive goal: eliminate every single coal job in America.

The New York Times explains that Bloomberg wants to “close every coal-fired power plant the United States and halt the growth of natural gas” by funding lobbying efforts by eco-groups in states and cities across the country. Bloomberg’s latest donation comes after funneling $150 million to the Sierra Club for their “Beyond Coal” campaign.

Bloomberg’s efforts are an insult to the 52,000 Americans who work in coal. When plants and mines shut down, entire communities suffer. Towns lose revenue streams needed to fund schools and basic public services. Local businesses suffer when their customers are put out of work.

Bloomberg’s plan is also nonsensical. Not only does he want to eliminate coal – he also wants to halt natural gas. Yet natural gas is the very reason why emissions in the United States have been falling – and it’s become a vital part of our energy infrastructure.

With no coal and no natural gas, you can be sure that energy prices will skyrocket. The very miners put out of work will now be forced to pay exorbitant fees to keep the lights on. That’s simply wrong.

Bloomberg wants to decimate the US energy industry with no reasonable alternative, throw tens of thousands of Americans out of work, and destroy entire communities. We must fight dangerous ideas like these and stand up for America’s energy workers.