09.24.13

Telling the coal companies that what doesn’t kill them could make them stronger, Blue Engine’s David DiMartino writes in U.S. News and World Report that despite their “War On Coal” mantra, the coal industry could still choose innovation and grow stronger. In an opinion piece online now, DiMartino argues that the coal industry should embrace the challenge that lies ahead. He argues that even without recent Environmental Protection Agency carbon pollution protections, U.S. coal production was expected to level to a 20-year low.  In addition, the new pollution standards can serve as catalysts for industry advancement.  DiMartino noted diesel engines as a roadmap for market innovation.  When faced with a similar crossroads, companies like Siemens produced more efficient engines that were built to the task.  DiMartino writes that the latest EPA standards limiting carbon pollution is not a ‘war on coal’—it’s a lifeline.  Coal companies have a simple choice: “grab it, or sink.”

Read the article here.