Michael Bloomberg's data-driven war on coal

Mary Bruno

Mary Bruno Jul 1, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Michael Bloomberg's data-driven war on coal</h1>
                <h2><p>"Before Michael Bloomberg would commit tens of millions of dollars to the Sierra Club’s campaign to shut down coal plants all over the United States, he wanted something: more data specifying where his money would go," writes Andrew Restuccia in Politico. "... Among other requests, Bloomberg wanted</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/mary-bruno-crosscut-com/">Mary Bruno</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>"Before Michael Bloomberg would commit tens of millions of dollars to the Sierra Club’s campaign to shut down coal plants all over the United States, he wanted something: more data specifying where his money would go," writes Andrew Restuccia in <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/michael-bloomberg-environment-coal-sierra-club-116793.html?hp=t1_r&ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Politico</a>. "... Among other requests, Bloomberg wanted the group to create better ways of gauging the success of its efforts, including maps of every coal-fired power plant and details on their pollution controls."</p><p>Powered by his $30 million donation, the Sierra Club got to work. Bloomberg's data-fueled obsession is credited with the closure or re-purposing of 188 coal plants around the country since 2010. And that makes the erstwhile New York City mayor the coal industry's Number One enemy.</p>
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"Before Michael Bloomberg would commit tens of millions of dollars to the Sierra Club’s campaign to shut down coal plants all over the United States, he wanted something: more data specifying where his money would go," writes Andrew Restuccia in Politico. "... Among other requests, Bloomberg wanted the group to create better ways of gauging the success of its efforts, including maps of every coal-fired power plant and details on their pollution controls."

Powered by his $30 million donation, the Sierra Club got to work. Bloomberg's data-fueled obsession is credited with the closure or re-purposing of 188 coal plants around the country since 2010. And that makes the erstwhile New York City mayor the coal industry's Number One enemy.

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By Mary Bruno

Mary was Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief and Interim Publisher. In more than 25 years as a journalist, she has worked as a writer, editor and editorial director for a variety of print and web publications,