Damage from Coal Costs US Economy More than the Electricity it Generates is Worth

Photo: Jen SFO-BCN via Flickr/CC BY

I was out on vacation last week, but I still caught wind of the new headline-making study Environmental Accounting for Pollution in the United States Economy. The study, which was published in the prestigious journal the American Economic Review, caused quite a stir in green circles, and for good reason -- the authors found that mining and burning coal actually imposes more costs on the economy than the value it creates by generating power. It's hard to find a sexy way to frame this wonky-seeming finding, but it is absolutely huge. It means that continuing to rely on coal does more damage to our economy than good. And forget, for a second, about the health risks and sullied natural habitats -- this is strictly economically speaking.

Article continues: Damage from Coal Costs US Economy More than the Electricity it Generates is Worth: New Study