Some business and energy interests have bought more than $1 million for newspaper ads in Texas -- showing dirty faces. The ads feature people with darkly smudged faces and declare “Coal is filthy.''

Critics are speaking out against proposals to build as many as 18 coal-fired electric plants in Texas.

The ads urge readers to attend a “Stop The Coal Rush'' rally at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Capitol in Austin, sponsored by the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club.

TXU spokeswoman Kimberly Morgan says the ads are false information being distributed by the utility's competitors.

The Texas Clean Sky Coalition has taken out full-page newspaper ads in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Waco.

One competitor of coal-fired plants, Chesapeake Energy, a natural gas company in Oklahoma City, acknowledged its participation in the campaign.

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