Putting profits above public safety

May 1, 2012

The Institute for Southern Studies reports, "After the massive TVA Kingston disaster inundated a Tennessee community and two rivers with a billion gallons of coal ash in 2008, it appeared the tide was turning for the largely unregulated toxic waste produced by burning coal for electricity. But for four years, the energy industry has successfully fought off federal regulations -- thanks in part to the American Legislative Exchange Council, which has close ties to energy companies with a financial interest in blocking strict oversight of coal ash."

Progressive Point: Putting profits above public safety is just plain wrong. But corporate front-group ALEC and their legislative allies have been working behind the scenes to kill environmental regulations designed to protect us from the life-threatening dangers of coal ash--all for the sake of protecting coal company profits.

Our elected officials cannot mistake our well-being for the well-being of coal companies. Our representatives need to put our health and safety above coal industry bottom lines.

Get the Facts:

• Coal ash is "waste that contains heavy metals and other health-damaging pollutants and has been linked to over 150 cases of environmental damages, most involving water contamination." (Institute for Southern Studies, April 30, 2012)


• American Electric Power, which has operations in Virginia, "is a member of ALEC's Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force and was a financial sponsor of ALEC's 2011 conference, according to ALEC Exposed." (Institute for Southern Studies, April 30, 2012)


• ALEC has spent over $70,000 feting Virginia legislators. (ProgressVA)


• Over 50 bills drawn from ALEC sources have been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly in the past few years. (ProgressVA)

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