Russ Maddox

OPINION: Nearly a century of burning wet, inferior coal for power and heat has left an indelible mark across our state. Our coal is low-grade, not superior, and I'm not a disloyal Alaskan for saying so.

This letter responds to the open letter from the City of Seward printed in various newspapers last week. The city has misrepresented pending litigation in an attempt to shame us into dropping a valid claim.

Environmental groups that filed a lawsuit against the city of Seward respond to the open letter sent to area residents and news outlets last week by members of the Seward City Council.

Instead of urging the president to bend to industry pressure against guidelines for disposing of coal ash, we need our senators to protect the citizens of Alaska and support a hazardous listing for all coal combustion wastes.

Proponents of "clean coal" may have the right to saturate the airwaves, but they do not have the right to pollute our precious children's minds or hand them bags of toxic goodies.

The Exxon verdict understandably overshadowed the U.S. Supreme Court's other end-of-term rulings among Alaskans, but one -- Federal Election Commission v. Davis -- deserves our attention, for it may influence our elections for decades to come.