You think coal is “clean”? Try lignite. This soft brown coal is generally best used at its source for power plants (its value argues against transportation) and with even worse environmental results than the polluting plants that burn black coal.

Why should you care? Because Arkansas sits on a substantial amount of lignite. And because South Arkansas legislators are preparing to press the Beebe administration to start exploiting it. (The link is to a proposed letter for which Rep. Allen Maxwell is lining up other legislative support. See jump.)

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(Louie, you think Howard County is downwind from Calhoun County?)

UPDATE: Delicious timing. The Pew Trust will join Gov. Mike Beebe tomorrow for an attaboy report on the growth in Arkansas of “green economy” jobs. Good time to ask the guv about burning some lignite.

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AND ALSO: Report today says nothing is going to be done about greenhouse gas emissions unless something is done about coal-burning power plants.

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