The big, dirty sectret of this "clean coal" revolution is how to extract the coal.  It is impossible to extract it without destroying the environment.  You either have to blast into a mountain and carve it out from the inside or just slice the whole top off of the mountain.  No amount of reforestation will counteract that.  And that is just part of the problem.  The run-off from mining operations are a major problem that destroy aquatic ecosystems.  It's time for us to actually begin a transition into truly environmentally friendly energy.  There are so many options that it would be the height of folly to entertain wasting time and money going down another dirty path.  Solar and wind have made huge advances, tidal energy is another interesting alternative.  Methane captured from landfills is a great alternative that is already doing great things in practice.

Nuclear energy is still a problem for several reasons.  For one, the waste is a big issue no matter how much proponants will poo-poo it.  Ask the people of Nevada if there is any doubt.  The other big problem is that nobody wants a nuclear plant in their area.  I am not against further research into nuclear energy, but it is not a feasable option until safety and waste disposal are truly figured out. 

In my experience, it seems that the biggest proponants of nuclear energy are behind it just because they have a weird psychological problem with other alternatives.  They have spent so much of their lives disdaining hippies and liberals that they cannot bring themselves to agree with them on any issue.  I know that this does not describe every proponant of nuclear energy, I just have not met any that didn't fit this mold.