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A home in eastern Tennessee is partially buried in contaminated waste from a coal-fired power plant. View a slideshow of the damage caused by the billion-gallon spill on Dec. 22, 2008. Courtesy: United Mountain Defense

Coal is America's dirtiest energy source -- and the country's leading source of global warming pollution.

Coal mining destroys land, pollutes thousands of miles of streams and brings massive environmental damage to mountain communities.

Pollution from coal plants produces dirty air, acid rain and contaminated land and water. Health problems associated with coal pollution include childhood asthma, birth defects and respiratory diseases that take nearly 25,000 lives each year.

"Coal is the single greatest threat to civilization and all life on our planet." – James Hansen, NASA's top climate scientist

There are far cleaner and cheaper ways to meet America’s energy needs. Yet industry apologists are spending millions of dollars to block clean energy solutions and persuade Americans that they can keep using coal without the consequences.

The better solution is to repower America by investing in clean energy. Green technologies and renewable fuels will create millions of good-paying jobs, lift our poorest communities out of poverty, reduce dangerous pollution and help fight global warming.

Next Page: Busting the "Clean Coal" Myth

last revised 1/15/2009