[LurkingSince'98]

topher,

several misconceptions there:
1) ALL coal has mercury in it, it varies from site to site and within each site.
2)We don't PRODUCE "safer coal" or any other kind of coal - we mine it. What you mine is what you get.
3) Coal is mined in throughout the US with the majority coming from the Northwest (Wyoming). There are no prohibitions from anyone(EPS, etc) against mining it, some utilities don't buy the high sulfur coal as they must then spend money to treat it.
Regards, Lurking'

[topher]

Good points -- I would still favor tax credits for coal fired power plants to keep the junk out of the environment.

But one's computer has all sorts of nasty things in it -- especially the newer ones. Microchips now rely, in some case, arsenic, as well as other toxic chemicals.

I worked in a wafer fab (Texas Instruments), and pregnant women were advised not to work there.