Check out the NEW poster by Dan Angelelli of the Environmental Coalition at VT!
*This poster requires mass dispersal at all VA college campuses during September
Power Shift Victory: GenOn Closing
Potomac River Coal Plant is Shutting Down in 2012
Blogpost by Robert Gardner – August 30, 2011
For 62 years the Potomac River Coal Plant has been burning coal in Alexandria, VA. On October 1, 2012 (or hopefully sooner), the plant will cease its operations and the citizens of Alexandria can start breathing a little easier.
The announcement came today from the city of Alexandria after a deal worked out with the plant’s owner, GenOn.
With our coalition partners Sierra Club, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light, we have stood united in our determination to shut this plant down. The work that has gone into this has made that a reality. Thousands of people have taken pushed to shut down this plant. Now the work of putting the riverfront to a better use can get done.
Here’s a video of recent actions by local and national environmental groups to shut down the Potomac plant:
One by one coal plants are falling throughout this country.
Potomac River Coal Plant is just the latest example of people rising up against polluters in their community. As this isn’t the only dirty plant GenOn owns, the campaign against them will continue.
The fight to Quit Coal will continue.
CALL TO ACTION – from the Young People at the Tar Sands Action
Today we sit to demand justice. Tomorrow, we’re getting back up to organize in our communities to ensure justice. And we’re calling on you to join us.
A growing movement of young people has been organizing to build a more clean and just economy that works for all of us, addresses the climate crisis and creates jobs for those who need them. An economy steered by communities, not corporations.
We’ve been successful in leading change in our communities; more than 700 college campuses have made commitments to adopt renewable energy and become carbon neutral. And we’re following up on these commitments and forcing campuses to move beyond coal and other forms of dirty energy. But it’s not an easy road, and we have major challenges ahead: Big corporations are using their financial influence to corrupt our democracy and deepen their pockets at the expense of Americans. And it’s not just related to energy and the environment; they are threatening the very foundations of our democracy, working to disenfranchise voters, attack workers’ rights and the middle class.
In an act of civil disobedience, we stand together today and risk arrest in front of the White House to demand that President Obama stand up to these big corporate interests, reject the Keystone XL Pipeline permit, and put an end to this madness. The Keystone XL tar sands pipeline would further open up disastrous mining on indigenous lands in Alberta, Canada then take this toxic and corrosive crude across the country down to the Gulf Coast, threatening communities with spills and health impacts all along the way. It would release enormous amounts of pollution further fueling the climate crisis; bottom-line, it threatens our future and we can’t let it happen.
We’re crossing the line to demonstrate the severity of the issue, and our commitment to take bold action to ensure that President Obama does the right thing.
But we can’t and won’t stop here. We’ve been deeply inspired by Tim DeChristopher, who only one month ago was sentenced to a two-year prison term for an heroic act. Tim blocked an illegitimate auction and his sentencing was intended to intimidate others from taking bold action. But it’s done just the opposite; it’s emboldened us. In the great tradition of movements before us, we are determined to continue to organize and confront injustice until it no longer stands. As demonstrated by the lunch counter sit-ins, we must be willing to continue, until we persevere.
Last April, 10,000 young people from all over the country came together in Washington, DC for Power Shift 2011 to re-launch a movement that would lead from the grassroots and demand our elected officials support a 100% clean energy economy. Under pressure, President Obama invited 11 young leaders into the White House to hear our concerns. The take-away from this historic interaction? The Obama Administration re-established its commitment to stand up to big polluter attacks on the Clean Air Act and for weeks after, President Obama led a wave of calls to end big oil subsidies. But our job is not done yet, and thus President Obama’s parting words in that meeting are perhaps the most important take-away of all: “..it’s your job to keep organizing; it’s your job to push me.” And that’s exactly what we intend to do. Since Power Shift 2011, our organizations and networks have been working hard to launch local, state and regional campaigns to challenge the dirty energy industry and bring in the clean energy economy. We must continue these fights, and call on elected officials to follow our lead.
The Keystone XL decision is a significant test of President Obama’s commitment to our generation, but it’s not the only one. In the coming months, the Obama Administration’s EPA will decide on key rulings on clean air that would force the oldest and dirtiest coal plants to clean up, or more likely retire. And President Obama’s Army Corps of Engineers holds the key vote on regulations on hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware Water Gap, the source of water for millions Americans, that could be finalized as soon as September. Above all, President Obama must decide to stand up to corporate interests that threaten the American public, our environment, and our democracy; we have to do everything within our means to band together, and lead the way so that President Obama has no excuse but to act.
In the coming weeks, we are re-launching and re-committing ourselves to campaigns that confront dirty energy in our own backyards and bring in a 100% clean and just energy economy. We will take these demands to our college campuses and communities, and together build a groundswell of movement against dirty energy and reckless corporations. We can demonstrate that once again the youth generation will lead us into the future by moving our campuses beyond coal, and demanding that it be replaced with 100% clean energy. We’re taking the fight to the grassroots with regional Power Shift convergences across the country, we will come together to exercise our collective power and continue to take direct action.
From the Tar Sands Action we have begun the journey down the path of justice, but we cannot stop here. We hope you’ll join us.
- Join us in signing this letter to show your support for bold action at the Tar Sands Action and beyond.
- Show your commitment by joining us in campaigns to confront dirty energy and bring in a 100% clean energy economy.
- Join us in another wave of direct action at regional Power Shift conferences
With Joy and Resolve,
The undersigned…
Florida YES Coalition
Green Umbrella: NY Youth for a Just and Sustainable Future
Maryland Student Climate Coalition
Ohio Student Environmental Coalition
New Hampshire Students for the Environment
New Jersey Sustainable Collegiate Partners
Peaceful Uprising
Virginia Alliance for a Cleaner Environment
VA Sierra Club coming to VAPS….
I Love Trash: The Art of Dumpster Diving
via Huffington Post:
The new film ‘I Love Trash’ is a documentary that follows two friends as they live for three months by getting everything they need out of the trash. They arrive at an unfurnished apartment with the clothes on their back and a flashlight, and we slowly see them decorate their apartment and make clothes from things they’ve found in dumpsters. The film is a compelling journey of two friends as they make a life out of what others throw away, calling into question our society of consumption. Watch a preview below, and watch the whole documentary here.
We Miss You: a Moving Film on Humanity’s Disconnect with Nature
WE MISS YOU from fireapple films on Vimeo.
What Tim deChristopher’s arrest means for the environmental movement
As of this evening, Tim deChristopher, renown eco-activist, is facing two years in prison and $10,000 in fines. All for trying to protect our environment.
DeChristopher is paying for a “crime” he committed three years ago. On Dec. 19, 2008, Tim (a college student in University of Utah at the time) attended an auction in Utah, where energy companies were bidding on Utah wildland that the Bush administration wanted to use for oil and gas development. Tim won 14 parcels (about 22,000 acres) of land worth $1.8 million. He explains the situation:
He was convicted later, and he knew he faced up to 10 years in prison for this crime. But what’s even more infuriating is that the federal government tried to strike a bargain with him! In an interview, Tim explains why he turned down the government’s efforts to simmer him down:
[The bargain] was for a short amount of prison time. There were several reasons that I turned it down. One, the government said, “We do need you to serve some time, not because we think you are a bad guy, but to set an example that discourages others.” And of course that is the exact opposite of my motivation. That’s the last thing that I want to do — is have my action be an example that instills fear in others, and encourages people to be obedient in the face of injustice. So that was one reason that I didn’t take it.
The fact that the government, whose duty is to support the people, listen to their grievances and mitigate the problems, actually sided with the oil and gas companies to ensure profits and eliminate industry threats is shocking, to say the least.
Tim’s situation exemplifies what happens if you DO speak out against big oil. Tim was convicted for making false statements and violating the Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act, which could’ve led to up to 10 years in prison and as much as a $750,000 fine. But although I am happy he isn’t in jail for 10 years, I am still angry that he had to suffer any jail time at all. The fact that he was arrested immediately, and denied the three weeks usually given to set his affairs in order, is evidence enough that the government and oil and gas companies see him as a threat, and want him out of the public eye as soon as possible.
But ironically enough, the injustice has only incited the public even further. Tim has already sparked an entire movement called Bidder70– his number during the auction. Many students and followers showed up at peaceful protest events around the country to show support. And many of us are now realizing the raw power of civil disobedience and direct action. As this example shows us, we’re up against multi-billionaires who would do anything to make money. Tim himself has said:
I think a lot of the environmental movement has … evolved into this kind of one-click activism that tries to make it really easy for people. And the reality of the situation is, this isn’t going to be easy. And we’ve got very real opponents: the fossil fuels industry.
But Tim deChristopher did NOT protest in vain. If anything, his courage and readiness to stand up against oil and gas industry oppression should motivate all of us to take a stand and raise our voices. This was just one man’s experience. Think about how much difference a movement of thousands can make.
As we get closer and closer to VA Powershift, keep Tim in mind when you come up with your direct action plans (yes, we WILL have a collective direct action during Powershift weekend!). Remember the environment he struggled to preserve, and why it is important to all of us.
Here’s a last video by deChristopher to get you all fired up for VA Powershift. This is his keynote address during National Powershift in April 2011. You’ll be missed, Tim. But thanks to you, the environmental movement is back, and stronger than ever!
Political action is key to doing away with dirty energy
There are several questions we need to find answers to as environmental activists. Perhaps the biggest one of them all is: how do we take down the aging dirty energy industry that is so deeply rooted in our legislative, economic and regional spheres?
Let’s start with an example. I’d like to draw your attention to an archetypal dirty energy company called Massey Energy. Recently bought by Alpha Natural Resources LLC, Massey has a history of terrible environmental practices, including poisoning water wells in West Virginia with coal slurry, mountain-top removal (MTR) mining and inadequate mine safety measures. As recently as April last year, the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia (owned by Alpha-Massey) suffered an explosion caused by coal dust that killed 29 workers. During the 10 years leading up to the disaster, 54 miners died, and the company racked up 62,923 violations. Yet, Alpha is now the fourth-largest producer of coal in the US, and makes in over $4 billion a year!
These numbers are appalling, to say the least. But Alpha is just ONE example in an entire industry of companies that make sky-high profits from serial destruction of the earth. As hard-core environmentalists, your first reaction might be, “What do I do?” or “Which petition should I sign?” . Maybe you’re already thinking about public action like the March on Blair Mountain, which recalls the spirit of 15,000 mine workers that stood up against the coal industry. But even though these demonstrations stir the environmental community, dirty energy companies are as cold-hearted as ever. Keep in mind, Massey-Alpha has ignored restrictions in the past, and also has a terrible, expensive habit of filing Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation (known as SLAPP suits) against activists that do have the guts to speak out against them.
So how can we get these companies to listen to what we want?
The key to effective change is to strike the perfect balance of public outcry and legislative action that will put these big bad companies out of business. Marches, sit-ins and petitions are effective, but we need to remember we will probably go unheard by the source of pollution itself. But companies like Alpha-Massey have key weak points: most of them operate under corporate charters, and rely on a lot of political support for their operation. Here is a quick definition of a corporate charter:
Corporate charters are granted by states to serve a public interest. In exchange for benefits such as limited liability and perpetual life, corporations are required to comply with the law and public policy. In virtually every state, including Delaware, where Massey Energy is incorporated, corporate charters are conditioned on good behavior.
If we can attack the legal basis of a company’s operations (charter), and call out its political supporters, we can really hit dirty coal where it hurts.
We need to let Congressmen and other politically-motivated individuals know that these companies are harming their constituents, and if they fail to take action, then they WILL lose supporters. And if the political process goes as it’s supposed to, their political opponents will pick up on this key environmental issue, and take action against it to earn peoples’ support. The first step to this process, though, is asking political officials to revoke a coal company’s corporate charter, and thus their license to operate in areas like Appalachia. Here is an awesome example of two organizations, Free Speech for People and Appalachian Voices, that filed a request for Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden to revoke the corporate charter of Massey Energy. This is the kind of mobilization we need to create to bring down dirty coal.
As with all ideals, this is no easy task. But we need to work towards a goal, and this is the most reasonable and peaceful way to bring about change. Politicians are one group that are supposed to represent our interests, wants and needs. Companies like Alpha-Massey have been using a smoke-screen of campaign money to make politicians lose sight of their people and their health, jobs and livelihoods. We need to leverage the one tool that all of us as individuals have, and that is the power to shape our government. Let’s use this to revoke corporate charters of companies like Alpha-Massey, and hold them fully accountable for all the environmental damage they’re causing to Appalachia, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Wyoming. With enough voices and enough votes, we can bring down dirty energy forever!
Which cities use the most gas?
Surprise: VA is more efficient than we think!
Virginia named one of the “Toxic 20″!
A recent report from the Natural Resources Defense Council shows that Virginia ranked as the 14th most toxic state in the U.S. due to air pollution from coal- and oil-fired power plants.
The study used data from the EPA’s Toxic Release inventory, which compiles pollution data reported by industrial sources. NRDC found that nearly half of ALL the toxic air pollution reported from industrial sources in the United States comes from coal- and oil-fired power plants. Power plants are also the single largest industrial source of toxic air pollution in 28 states and the District of Columbia.
Virginia’s electric sector ranked 14th in toxic air pollution in 2009, emitting over 9.6 million pounds of harmful chemicals, which accounted for 38% of state pollution and 3% of toxic pollution from all U.S. power plants. Majority of air pollution in VA is caused by electricity generation (38%) and paper products (26%).
Coal-fired power plants have been known to cause various respiratory illnesses among residents. Dr. Lynn Ringenberg, MD, of Physicians for Social Responsibility, says “Air toxics from coal-fired power plants cause cancer, birth defects, and respiratory illness. Just one of those air toxics, mercury, damages the developing brains of fetuses, infants, and small children. It robs our children of healthy neurological development and native intelligence.” Given these terrible effects, you’d think Congressmen would protect their constituents and vote for toxins regulation.
Yet, many Congressmen are supporting legislation that does exactly the opposite. Many pieces of legislation are actually pushing for unlimited carbon pollution, lower enforcement safeguards, and no environmental responsibilities. These Congresspersons are often being paid obscene amounts of money by huge dirty energy lobbies to support legislation like this. Top oil and gas companies like Exxon-Mobil and Koch Industries have also been funding and pushing these bills. Isn’t it the Congress’s responsibility to serve in the best interests of its people? Without EPA regulation, oil and coal companies will not have to answer to anyone, and will cause more damage than they already do!
Check out a slideshow by NRDC detailing key findings below. And also, here are a few tips by blogger Pete Altman outlining how you can take action and get VA off the Toxic 20 list by 2012!
View more presentations from NRDCSocAdv
