By Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun, February 20, 2012

VANCOUVER -- Coal is fast gaining notoriety as the dirtiest fossil fuel and a growing source of global greenhouse gas emissions, all of which is staining the B.C. government's green climate-action initiatives.

"It's a curious inconsistency of the old economy and the new economy at the same time," said Dan Kammen, a professor of energy at the University of California in Berkeley.

News Release, Water Dragon Alliance, January 22, 2012

Over 400 people showed up in Buckley Bay on Saturday, in support of a festive outdoor anti-coal rally called, "Solidarity -Not Compliance!"

An entourage of almost 100 islanders accompanied a twenty foot-long Chinese New Year's dragon off the Denman ferry at 1:00 pm. Cheered on by folks attending from as far away as Vancouver, Victoria, Port Alberni and Campbell River, the dragon was greeted at the nearby rally site by musicians, and a giant raven bearing a placard that read, "Ravens opposed to Coal!"

Jesse Gentes, Comox Valley Echo, January 06, 2012

I'd like to share a little analysis of mine of the Underground Mining Program recently announced by North Island College and created through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market initiative by the joint workings of the Federal Conservatives and the B.C Liberals. The resource extraction industry particularly Compliance Coal on a local level - stand to benefit from the training of entry level employees from such a program.

Voters Taking Action on Climate Change, November 15, 2011

Webcast, Teck, November 17, 2011

Global Metals, Mining and Materials Conference

Justine Hunter, Globe and Mail, Nov. 10, 2011

On Dec. 22, 1854, the Snuneymuxw people signed a treaty that provided them with 668 blankets. In exchange, British settlers got to mine the rich coal seam in their territory.

By Scott Simpson, Vancouver Sun, November 11, 2011

A northeast British Columbia first nation chief confirmed Thursday that it rejects an $860-million, China-financed coal mine that was championed this week by Premier Christy Clark during her trade mission to Asia.

Rich Coleman and Vaughn Palmer, Voice of BC, Oct 27, 2011

Minister of Energy, Mines and Housing talks to Vaughn Palmer about an array of interesting topics about electricity, natural gas, shale gas, mining, smart meters, carbon neutrality, deferral accounts, BC's GHG.
 

Lynne Wheeler, Times Colonist, October 24, 2011

I read with interest the article on protecting the southern Strait of Georgia as a marine conservation area. While I applaud this move, I believe governments should protect all of the strait.

By Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, September 28, 2011

AP ran a great story yesterday about the coming decline of the coal industry in Appalachia that I fear is not going to get nearly the attention it deserves. Because if you think about this story seriously for more than 30 seconds, you will come to see that it has huge implications not only for future U.S. energy policy but also for the coming presidential election.

Media Release, Dogwood Initiative, 27 Sep 2011

Victoria, B.C. — A report released by the Dogwood Initiative today reveals the rapidly expanding global warming impacts of B.C. coal and criticizes the provincial government for allowing these emissions to grow unchecked.

“It will be a surprise to many British Columbians that our province is a major exporter of coal, the world’s most pollution-intensive form of energy,” said Will Horter, executive director of Dogwood Initiative and author of the report. “Instead of taking leadership in the battle to reduce emissions from coal, the B.C. government is promoting the expansion of coal mining and coal exports.”

Peter Koven, National Post, Sept. 22, 2011

For anyone counting on fastgrowing Asian economies to prop up the West, this is not good news.

On Wednesday, Virginia-based Alpha Natural Resources Inc. slashed its 2011 guidance for metallurgical coal shipments by as much as 12%. It noted surprisingly weak customer demand in Asia as one of the key factors.

Ray Grigg, Shades of Green, Courier-Islander, September 2, 2011

As heat records broke by the hundreds across the United States this summer, Michael Bloomberg braved the sweltering temperatures on a hot July morning, mounted a platform in front of the coal-fired GenOn power station in Alexandria, Virginia, and announced to those gathered that his charity, Bloomberg Philanthropies, was giving $50 million to the US Sierra Club to aid its Beyond Coal Campaign.

Frik Els, Mining.com, August 21, 2011

According to the US Energy Information Administration, coal production will fall 1.7% in 2011 hampered by widespread flooding in the west of the country. It is a steeper decline than previously forecast and the agency also predicts a further decline next year.

Stacey Gaiga, Alberni Valley Times, August 12, 2011

"Re: Official Community Plan is not a deal-breaker," (Alberni Valley Times, Aug. 10)

The "shred of evidence" Mr. Oliver requested on "evidence of damage to salmon runs as a direct result of coal operations," was provided earlier this year in a published letter by Phil Harrison of Comox, who grew up in the times when the Cumberland mine was still operating.

MARK JACCARD, Globe and Mail, Aug. 11, 2011

Stephen Harper can’t allow new coal-fired electricity plants to be built, such as the one Maxim Power is proposing in Alberta, and achieve his promise to reduce Canadian greenhouse-gas emissions 17 per cent by 2020. As a researcher of energy-economy systems, I say this with virtual certainty. I also know that any scholar in my field would agree with me, and that the Prime Minister’s expert advisers would tell him the same thing. The reasons are simple.

By Michael Brune and Michael R. Bloomberg, Special to CNN, July 29, 2011

Editor's note: Michael Brune is executive director of the Sierra Club. Michael R. Bloomberg is mayor of New York City. Bloomberg Philanthropies recently donated $50 million to the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign.

(CNN) -- One of the frightening new realities in Washington is that many strongly held policy positions are built on untruths. One of the most persistent untruths is that we can't afford to move away from coal-powered electricity.

The truth is, we can't afford not to quit coal.

Marc Lee, CCPA Policy Note, July 11th, 2011

Any day now the BC government should be releasing the latest greenhouse gas data for the province, and we will see if any progress is being made towards a legislated 33% reduction in emissions by 2020 (relative to 2007 levels; data will be for 2009 and we know that emissions rose in 2008).

Clare Demerse, Pembina Institute, July 5, 2011

Just over a year ago, the federal government announced a plan to regulate some of the dirtiest sources of energy in Canada — coal power plants. Now, a decision by an Alberta regulator to approve a new coal plant has put the ball squarely in the federal government's court to live up to one part of that 2010 announcement, namely a commitment to "guard against" companies rushing new coal plants into service in an attempt to skirt the federal proposal.

By Ben Christopher, The Tyee, June 10, 2011

An environmental group is raising concerns about the review process for a proposed coal mine on eastern Vancouver Island, despite assurances from the province.

Keri Sculland, Alberni Valley Times, June 9, 2011

After three public meetings, I'd say the citizens of Courtenay, Port Alberni and Union Bay spoke their opinions loud and clear on the environmental aspect of coal.

Jen Fisher-Bradley, Alberni Valley Times, June 08, 2011

People, ill with denial, think they can conquer scientific fact with whatever flavour-of-the-month their ideology is swinging to. They are all in for a very rude surprise when, finally, they wake up.

Barry Saxifrage, Vancouver Observer, June 7th, 2011

The twenty five million tonnes of coal dug out of British Columbia each year causes more climate pollution than the national economies of 126 countries.