By Lena Babaeva 

Now we’ve got green states versus brown states. 

Division has been felt among states that are ready for more renewable energy, that are not as dependent on coal, and the states that are 80 percent or more coal dependent.   The complaint of the “brown” or coal dependent states is that the majority of current policy makers on global warming comes from California or the East Coast.  California derived only 20.7 percent of its electricity from coal, with 40 percent coming from hydroelectric power and renewable sources in 2005.  Whereas, Ohio, a good example of a “brown” state, derives 86 percent of its electricity from coal. 

The coal-dependent states are banding to fight legislation that they argue will injure their workers and economies.  The centrists argue that if the legislation is just passed at a slower rate, it should help the states not suffer from it.  Those who are pushing for aggressive legislation argue that creation of the renewable energy industry would create jobs to supplement and possibly supplant current coal industries.