Proclaiming April 1st

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Tom Owens, CCAN: 814 322 6412
Brianna Cayo Cotter, Energy Action Coalition, 415.305.1943
** Hi-res photos and more information at FossilFools08.org**

 

 

 

 

Youth Take Action for Clean, Just Energy on April Fools Day
Dominion CEO Tom Farrell awarded the “Virginia Fossil Fool of the Year” Award.
RICHMOND, April 1—Proclaiming April 1st “Fossil Fools Day,” climate change activists held creative actions around the world today to oppose dirty energy and show support for climate justice, strong legislation and corporate responsibility. In Richmond, youth leaders gathered outside Dominion’s Headquarters to present the “Virginia Fossil Fools Award” to Dominion CEO Tom Farrell for his company’s foolish rush to build another coal-burning plant.
“At the same time that global warming impacts are accelerating and the nation’s economy is sliding into recession, Dominion Virginia Power is pushing to build a new controversial 585 MW coal-burning power plant in Virginia, said Tom Owens, a student organizer at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “This power plant would increase rates for all Virginians, eliminate jobs from the Virginia economy, and dramatically increase global warming emissions.”
The students are part of the Virginia Climate Action Network (VACAN), a coalition of 15 Virginia college and university environmental groups. A group of students dressed up as coal tycoons and called themselves “billionaires for coal.” The spoof was meant to draw attention to $1.8 billion price tag of the proposed coal plant. Dominion will pass off the entire cost of the plant to rate payers, which could dramatically increase electricity rates in Virginia.
“It is outrageous that Dominion wants to build a new $1.8 billion dirty coal-burning plant that, we don’t need, we can’t afford as consumers, and can’t afford as humanity,” said Grace Howard, of Virginia Commonwealth University and VACAN. “Addressing the root causes of climate change means more than just changing your light bulbs. It means fundamentally restructuring the way our society works to be more just and sustainable, not slapping a green label on inherently unsustainable practices like burning waste coal.”
The Energy Action Coalition, a convener of the day of action, expects at least 100 actions in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia- nations with some of the highest contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions.

“While the Fossil Fools in government and industry are playing games with our future, we are busy creating real clean energy solutions in our communities,” said Geoff Cox of the University of Richmond. “Our university president has already committed our school to soon becoming climate neutral, no greenhouse gas emissions, but this plant completely undermines our efforts to tackle global warming and build a clean green economy with millions of new jobs.”

For more information, please visit www.FossilFools08.org
For more Virginia events, check actions.energyactioncoalition.org/fossilfools/events/search/state/VA
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