I find the announcement disturbing. First, the Sierra Club’s anti-coal campaign has not been the most credible effort. Sierra has tended to misrepresent the record of coal-fired generation in the United States, underplaying the substantial advancements made by industry in reducing air emissions in every category over the last two decades. The tactics the Sierra Club displayed at the recent EPA hearings on power sector rules substituted sound bites and stunts for reasoned analysis. Sierra also has failed to step to the plate when it was time to support construction of infrastructure to advance clean-energy projects.

Mayor Bloomberg has unquestionably been a good leader and it is certainly up to his foundation to determine what contributions make sense. That said, the Mayor well knows that the key to New York City’s success lies in access to affordable and reliable power. And 50 percent of US electric generation comes from coal-fired sources. Mayor Bloomberg's own Energy Task Force began its analysis in its report to him as follows:

"To maintain its position as the financial, corporate and communications capital of the world, New York City must have a dependable source of electricity. Electricity makes much of the City's daily functioning possible—from the vast underground transit system and the commuter rail network to the elevators that serve our high-rise buildings. Assuring reliable, affordable, and clean electricity is essential to the continued attraction and retention of City businesses and residents." See www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/energy_task_force.pdf