The Intermountain Rural Electric Association of Sedalia, Colo is hoping thier donations to scientist Pat Michaels for his dissenting view of global warming will convince someone that it is not happening. It appears that the coal giant is concerned about new taxes being imposed on thier pollution. The coal industry is a major contributor to the problem of global warming to be sure but that is not all they are responsible for.

They practice a method of coal extraction called mountain top removal. They are literally taking down entire mountains in West Virgina, Tennesee and Kentucky right now.

I have provided more links at the bottom of this post where you can help stop the massive destruction of these beautiful, ancient and magical mountains.

Below are excerpts from a great article by:

SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
Thu Jul 27, 2:39 PM ET

Pat Michaels — Virginia's state climatologist, a University of Virginia professor and senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute — told Western business leaders last year that he was running out of money for his analyses of other scientists' global warming research. So last week, a Colorado utility organized a collection campaign to help him out, raising at least $150,000 in donations and pledges.
The Intermountain Rural Electric Association of Sedalia, Colo., gave Michaels $100,000 and started the fund-raising drive, said Stanley Lewandowski, IREA's general manager. He said one company planned to give $50,000 and a third plans to give Michaels money next year.
"These people are just spitting into the wind," said John Holdren, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "The fact is that the drumbeat of science and people's perspectives are in line that the climate is changing."
Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, a Washington advocacy group, said: "This is a classic case of industry buying science to back up its anti-environmental agenda."
John Holdren, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Harvard environmental science and technology professor, said skeptics such as Michaels "have had attention all out of proportion to the merits of their arguments."

Lewandowski of The Intermountain Rural Electric Association of Sedalia, Colo, said he believes global warming is real just not as big a problem as scientists claim, and acknowledged this is a special interest issue. He said the bigger concern is his 130,000 customers, who want to keep rates low, so coal-dependent utilities need to prevent any taxes or programs that penalize fossil fuel use. He said his effort is more aimed at stopping carbon dioxide emission taxes and limits from Congress, something he believes won't happen during the Bush administration.

Read the entire article here

These folks are fighting the Coal Giants destructive practices and they need YOUR help!
Links where you can get involved!

United Mountain Defense
National Radio Project
Mountain Summer Justice