UP target of global warming protest

More than 50 people holding signs in a stiff wind demonstrated in front of rail giant Union Pacific's headquarters Thursday to spotlight coal as a major factor in global warming.

Union Pacific gets more than 20 percent of its revenue from hauling coal to power plants around the country.

Nebraskans for Peace and several other groups invited leading environmentalist and writer Bill McKibben to the protest. McKibben, who spoke for about 20 minutes, said coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels, emitting more carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, than natural gas or oil.

One counter-demonstrator, Park Blaine of Elkhorn, held up a sign saying "Right Wing Extremist" and "What would Reagan do?" He said people are not causing global warming to an appreciable effect. Blaine characterized the gathering as misguided.

Union Pacific spokeswoman Donna Kush said people have a right to their opinion.

"We hope they respect efforts that we've made to support renewable resources and ‘clean coal,' " Kush said.

McKibben is founder of 350.org, an international campaign of activists seeking to reduce the carbon dioxide particles in the Earth's atmosphere from 392 parts per million to 350 parts per million. Congress needs to target coal in global warming legislation or it won't be worth passing, McKibben said.

Kush said coal generates half the electricity used annually in the United States. Because it is relatively inexpensive and abundant, it provides a low cost energy that helps the U.S. economy compete globally, Kush said. Congress should carefully consider the economic ramifications of severely capping or taxing carbon emissions from coal, she said.

Union Pacific also supports renewable energy development like wind, Kush said. Another promising effort involves "clean coal," or capturing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants that use coal, Kush said.

McKibben said clean coal technology would not make a quick dent in global warming.

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