Environmental group files lawsuit: fights coal

Yesterday, the Sierra Club, which champions clean air and water practices throughout the United States, filed a lawsuit against DTE Energy, one of Detroit's largest energy providers. The lawsuit claimed violations at four of DTE's coal-burning facilities. The other three remain shrouded in smog and mystery.

The Sierra Club made it's intentions clear way back in November at a press conference along the River Rouge, where one could see the thick columns of smoke being pumped into the atmosphere. Sierra's ultimate goal is to get DTE to switch from coal to a cleaner source of energy. Yet, as even simplest of TV political drama viewers can tell you, policy often gets lost in the entanglements of big business. Are we really expecting people with millions invested in coal mines, refineries, and drilling operations to willing relinquish the choke hold they have on our energy infrastructure?

You would like to think that the innate good in people will ultimately the better of them -- but when millions of dollars are at stake, 'good' goes out the window, and people become unpredictable.

The lawsuit filed against DTE calls for them to make radical changes in order to meet the standards set by the Clean Air Act of 1963. The Sierra Group found over 1,400 violations at four of DTE's coal-burning power plants: River Rouge, St. Clair, Belle River, and Trenton Channel.

According to Patrick Geans, a representative for the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign, the lawsuit “calls on DTE to live up to its often stated claim of being a good neighbor."

Not so fast, says DTE.

“The Sierra Club's announcement is clearly a ploy to grab some headlines and part of their crusade to end the use of coal," wrote DTE spokesperson Len Singer in an email last fall. "All of our plants, including those cited in the news release, operate in compliance with state and federal emissions regulations, which are designed to protect the environment and public health.

Although DTE has spent billions over the past decade taking measures to curb carbon emissions, COAL IS STILL A CARBON EMITTING ENERGY SOURCE. It's dirty by nature. Unclean, and out-dated. No matter if you slap the word 'clean' in front of 'coal', coal is still coal. You know -- the black clumpy stuff Santa Clause brings all the bad children? Ever wonder why he doesn't bring it to the good children? Or better yet, coal's wealthy investors? Because it's dirty!

It's important to ensure that corporations are meeting current environmental standards. But it should be imperative that we work towards a permanent solution to the current energy crisis. No matter what you may think of the available alternatives, no matter how many jobs coal and oil may create, the fact remains -- one day, the wells and mines will run dry. Where will we be then? (Assuming poisonous air and water hasn't wiped us out by then.)

Hopefully, the Sierra Club's lawsuit will send a shock-wave through the energy industry. People are tired of being force-fed the same-old routine and sound bites. They want real answers. Real solutions. Clean-energy.