Despite criticism, U.S government allows soft loans to built coal plants even as Congress promises to take possible measure to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists blame that coal plant disgorges carbon dioxide, which is responsible for global warning.
Government pledges to generate pollution free power sources to fight global warming, but the nation’s rural electric cooperatives are getting biggest booty out of government generosity. Co-op plan to spend $35 billion to build conventional coal plants over the next 10 years, which totally offset federal efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The U.S., Office of Management and Budget seek to curtail loans for new power plants, but the powerful National Rural Electric Cooperative Association pressurizing Congress to keep the program going arguing that it is necessary to keep electricity cheap in rural areas. Environmentalists have shown their apprehensions over the program and urge the government to focus on renewable resources.
Rural co-ops get their 80 percent power from coal plants compare with 50 percent for the rest of the country. The customers own Rural-utility cooperatives, and the federal loan reduced the cost of new power generation by 15 percent. Co-ops claims for the soft loans to meet the current demand on the reasonable costs as its members per capita is 15 percent lower than the national average.
Image: sierraclub
Via: washingtonpost
