Coal plants don’t create the jobs they promise, study finds

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Coal-fired power plants sicken and kill tens of thousands of Americans every year, especially those (generally low-income, often minority) Americans who have the misfortune of living near them.

So why would any community allow a coal plant to be built in its midst? Indeed, why would communities pay enormous amounts of money in bribes development assistance for the privilege?

Simple: jobs. Lots of these communities are suffering from blight and high unemployment. They are desperate. And developers play on that desperation with promises of jobs. It may sicken your children, but at least you'll be able to afford their medicine!

But do those promises come true? According to a new study from the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies, not so much.

Ochs researchers dove in and took a close look at economic conditions before, during, and after six coal plant construction projects, along with the promises that were made and deals struck in advance.

Their results suggest that the promise of jobs was oversold. Overall, "for every one hundred new construction jobs promised, just over half -- 56 percent -- were actually realized." Over half those new jobs were in one county. In the other four counties studied, "coal plant construction only delivered net increases of 1,730 jobs out of a projected increase of 6,370 jobs -- just over 27 percent." Many of those jobs (1 out of 5) were created in response to "non-local" factors, mainly construction employment trends. And many of the jobs went to workers from outside the counties in question.

They summarize:

These findings strongly suggest that the economic development argument for coal plants is relatively weak, especially when compared with the job creation potential of alternative means of addressing demand for power through energy efficiency.

http://www.grist.org...bs-they-promise

[Obama 2012 1,714]

when you're ready to post legit articles, let us know.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

When a liberal plan fails it is because we need MORE of whatever it is that failed. I guess the same applies to coal fired power plants. Right?

[mawilson 2,133]

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Power plants are not built to create jobs, they are built to create electricity. That cheap electricity then helps create jobs. What a moronic story.

[Zero Sum 305]

And GE would profit from this 'green energy.' There should be outrage at the thought the government would get involved in this. Its Communism.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

So when the sun goes down do we sit in the dark?

[Zero Sum 305]

So when the sun goes down do we sit in the dark?

Energy storage?

[mawilson 2,133]

Energy storage?

Use wind turbines in the dark?

[Zero Sum 305]

Or even a few nuke plants. Why do things have to be so darn black and white for some people?

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Or even a few nuke plants. Why do things have to be so darn black and white for some people?

I am all in favor of a bunch of new nuke plants. But since the Japan nuke disaster I doubt very much if we will be building any new plants.

[Zero Sum 305]

Safe/existing Nuke + Solar + Wind. A novel concept, I know. Its all about soundbites and all-or-nothing statements these days.

[dalegg 143]

Do you get enough jobs in 7% of Arizona to replace the jobs taken away from the Coal Mining Industry? It's going to be a bit of a culture shock for a Tennessee miner to relocate to the middle of the desert to start cleaning solar panels or whatever they have to do too!

[웃 910]

I wouldn't really want to see the entire landscape of Arizona have a ratio of:

Every 10 feet of land area you have a little less than 1 foot area of photovoltaic modules.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Lord Infamous

[Zero Sum 305]

Ayyy more of this black and white thinking... sucks.