Coal industry spending on election ads

BILLINGS, Mont. – Facing a bruising fight over climate change, the coal industry is on the political offensive this election year to ensure that no matter who wins in November, so does coal.

Billions of dollars in corporate profits are at stake for the companies that mine, ship and burn the nation’s most abundant domestic fuel.


Some powerful Washington voices, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, have lined up against coal-fired power, which churns out two billions tons of greenhouse gases annually. Not shirking from a fight, coal’s supporters are spending tens of millions of dollars to cement their support among members of Congress and the top presidential candidates.

The industry is also appealing directly to the voters those politicians need.

AP