This Diary will be published every Tuesday and will continue to track the candidates' positions on a Pledge to eliminate the new construction of old-style pulverized coal plants in the U.S.
The wording of the pledge has been clarified this week - it now more clearly states the requirements that new coal plants must meet(i.e. capacity for CO2 capture and sequestration).
THE PLEDGE
I believe that all new coal-fired power plants should be built with carbon capture and sequestration capacity.
A good attempt at ascertaining clear positions from the candidates on global warming was published this week on Grist. Each candidate was asked at least one question about coal.
More on the Pledge and candidate updates below the fold.
The intent of the pledge is to gain the candidates' commitment to disapprove of old technology pulverized coal plants; to support regulations restricting any capital that continues to flow into coal generation to only those plants that can control emissions; and to ensure that these multi-decade investments address the environmental reality of the 21st century, not the unlimited frontier mindset of the 19th century.
Thus, the pledge is not fully explicit on whether sequestration would have to begin on Day 1. A requirement for actual storage of emissions on Day 1 built into the Pledge would exclude all of the major candidates, and also diminish the Pledge's usefulness in distinguishing among their positions.
THE PLEDGE
I believe that all new coal-fired power plants should be built with carbon capture and sequestration capacity.
Joe Biden YEA
Hillary Clinton NO POSITION
Chris Dodd YEA
John Edwards YEA
Barack Obama "IF NECESSARY"
Bill Richardson STARTING IN 2010
Rudolph Guiliani NO POSITION
Mike Huckabee NO POSITION
Duncan Hunter NO POSITION
John McCain NO POSITION
Mitt Romney NO POSITION
Fred Thompson NO POSITION