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[ CLIMATE ](https://www.citywatchla.com/climate)
# No Such Thing As Clean Coal
August 27 2026
Written by Matthew Hetz.
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COAL UNCLEAN - Burning coal is not clean, at all. It is a tremendous pollutant and health hazard and will hasten global warming.
President Trump and his Administration are rallying a return to the burning of coal as an energy source. To lay the groundwork for this Trump has been dismantling the tremendous and beneficial changes from highly polluting coal to renewable energy sources.
Solar and wind power for energy generation are working and proven clean technologies. Their price of energy generation are falling making them a lower cost energy source than coal.
There is the increasing number of electric vehicles on the roads as proven clean alternatives. Yet, again, Trump has reduced or cut the programs and incentives that were leading the nation to a cleaner, healthier future.
Trump has a strange fixation against wind power, falsely stating that wind turbines cause cancer. The nation’s own U.S. Department of Energy, [LINK](https://www.energy.gov/cmei/systems/windexchange/safety), states there "[scientific evidence suggests no direct relationship between human exposure to wind turbines and human health issues](https://www.mass.gov/doc/wind-turbine-health-impact-study-report-of-independent-expert-panel/download)."
Burning coal has a long history of polluting the nation. A most notable example is Pittsburgh, where in the 1940s the hazardous smoke from burning coal blackened the skies to such an extent that streetlights were turned on in the middle of the day. Illnesses from breathing the witches brew of coal smoke increased illnesses.
NASA shows the history of this deadly, black air pollution: [LINK](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/hell-with-the-lid-taken-off-84271/)
The National Library of Medicine confirms the blackened skies and health hazards from the smoke of burning coal: [LINK](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11825118/)
The website is very succinct: “Coal: in a burning world, the dark side of energy still rules.”
“However, coal is the most pollutant of fossil fuels, generating more CO2 and particulate material. Coal-derived air pollution is associated with several diseases including respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lower respiratory infections, cerebrovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease and lung cancer. Air pollution caused by coal and other fossil fuels causes millions of deaths a year.”
The Trump Administration is removing websites
The Trump administration is removing some of the nation’s websites, particularly those about science and health. Save these websites off-line before they disappear.
The Trump Administration is removing scientists
Trump and his Administration have removed many scientists from the Federal Government, so further validation about the hazards of burning coal come from the scientific community. The Union of Concerned Scientists clearly state the hazards of burning coal: [LINK](https://www.ucs.org/resources/coal-and-air-pollution)
The nation’s own Energy Department lists Trump’s attack on environmental safeguards and his strange support of health hazards of burning coal by proclaiming the department is unleashing beautiful, clean coal. The bulletin [LINK](https://www.energy.gov/documents/fact-sheet-unleashing-beautiful-clean-coal).
This bulletin claims “Many provided critical power generation during extreme weather and likely saved American lives.” This is just commercial tinged speculation. They give no factual data. The weather is more extreme because of climate change led in its climate destruction by the hugely polluting, and turbocharged destruction from the burning coal. And if the coal plants did operate during the increasing weather patterns, power lines are more than likely brought down during these higher intensity storms, so people are still without power.
Trump has removed health safeguards on coal burning power plants, including if they are newly built. He wants to keep on-line existing coal powered energy plants burning full force, unleashing their hazardous smoke.
There are scrubbers which can be used in the power generation process, but Trump has lifted those protections, allowing the coal powered plants to do their worst to the environment, and to speed the rising temperatures.
Trump’s support of burning coal accelerates the tragic climate change march to no turning back to save the planet from overheating.
***(Matthew Hetz** is a Los Angeles native and composer whose works have been performed nationally. He is the former President of the Culver City Symphony Orchestra and Marina del Rey Symphony. A passionate transit advocate, Matthew is dedicated to improving the rider experience and encouraging drivers to embrace public transportation as a solution to air pollution and climate change. He teaches at Emeritus/Santa Monica College and is a regular contributor to CityWatchLA.com.)*
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