Poll: 57 Percent Favor Moving Away From Coal Power Plants

A new poll shows strong support for the EPA to limit carbon pollution from power plants like the coal-fired Navajo and Cholla plants in Arizona . The survey, commissioned by the Sierra Club found 57 percent of those questioned favor moving entirely away from coal power plants.  Mary Anne Hitt is with the Sierra Club’s beyond coal campaign.

“These results serve as a strong reminder that when we make choices about which path we're going to take, the voices of American families are loud and clear,” Hitt said. “They want clean energy and they want it right away."

But, Bill Bissett of the Kentucky Coal Association said the poll was conducted by an anti-coal polling firm. He called it a rallying call for the industry to do a better job of communicating how such a move would impact consumers.

"Well I think the question needs to be restated that, 'Would you pay more money for electricity if we would switch to these renewable forms of energy?' and I think the vast majority of Americans would say no,” Bissett said.

The Sierra Club’s Alex DeSha said coal is no longer cheap. He sees the EPA’s push for stricter rules on carbon emissions as a chance to broaden the country’s energy mix by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiencies.