<p>The Post <a title="reports today" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/12/AR2008031203784.html?nav=rss_business" id="g251">reports today</a> that the Ag Dept. has suspended a controversial program that gives low-interest federal loans to rural electric cooperatives building coal-fired plants. The agency <a title="says" href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/no_comment_mora.php" id="dkx3">says</a> construction costs and uncertain costs of climate change make the loans risky. The Rural Utilities Service is not likely to make loans during FY2008 or FY2009. Maybe the government shouldn’t be subsidizing coal anyway. Just a thought.</p>