Governor Kaine: Won't You Be Our Valentine?

n699789082_643434_4527 This Valentine’s Day, mountain lovers from all over the commonwealth asked Governor Kaine to be their Valentine.

Virginia students, faith leaders, and activists delivered hundreds of Valentine’s Day cards to Gov. Kaine asking him to protect Virginia mountains and stop the Wise County power plant. Dominion Virginia Power is slated to break ground on the 585 megawatt coal plant as early as mid April and Virginia residents are urging the Governor to block its construction.

Arlington press conferenceIt’s not just southwest Virginia, or even the Richmond area that’s against this plant, it’s everyone. Arlington County Clerk of the Courts and climate champion Paul Ferguson (architect of the Fresh Aire initiative and pictured speaking on right) joined other leaders at a press conference in Arlington that same day to echo Virginians’ concerns about the coal plant and call for a real investment in clean energy.

“This plant is not only bad for Wise County, it’s bad for all of Virginia,” said Geoff Cox, a student at the University of Richmond who led the drive on his campus to collect Valentine’s cards. “My future is being threatened by global warming and my state is being destroyed by mountaintop removal mining. Another dirty coal-fired power plant is the completely wrong direction for Virginia.”

WHSV Channel 3The media loved it. WAMU, the local NPR station that serves Northern Virginia, covered the Arlington press conference and CCAN Director, Mike Tidwell, did a long interview with Pacifica radio. Down south, the Richmond Times Dispatch did a GREAT story on the event and WRIC, News Channel 8, actually followed the activists into their meeting with Steve Walz, Kaine’s aide. WVTF, Western Virginia Public Radio and WCVE, Richmond Public Radio both covered the Valentine’s Day drop-off. Continue reading

New Coal Plants and Kaine's Climate Goal Just Don't Mix

Please check out my post at progressive blog Raising Kaine. The more you click, the more people see it. http://raisingkaine.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=13028—-I’m blogging from the final hearing of the Department of Environmental Quality on the proposed Wise County Power Plant. After 2 hours of testimony, almost 40 people have testified, most against the plant – except those employed by Dominion or with a vested interest. Speakers addressed a variety of concerns – mercury, sulfur, nitrogen, mountaintop removal coal-mining. I spoke only to one major issue, addressed to Governor Kaine

Kaine's ONE environmental initiative – not so environmental.

It’s the 2008 legislative session in Virginia. Do you know where your Governor is?

Well, on climate, he’s nowhere to be found. Speaking before the Senate Finance Committee, Preston Bryant (Va Secretary of Natural Resources) confirmed what we’ve all been noticing – environment isn’t high on the Governor’s list this legislative session. Thus far, the Governor has not made public statements or lent his support to any climate/energy initiatives. And Mr. Bryant noted that the Governor has ONE environmental/energy initiative this session.

Perhaps he’s referring to the Governor’s attempt to dismantle our citizen pollution boards, which give us a voice in permitting of polluting industries. Legislators report that they’ve been hit up all week by administration staff.

So, instead of supporting great initiatives like the Clean Energy Future Act Governor Kaine is trying to take away our voice with the Department of Environmental Quality. Earlier today, Governor Kaine took questions on a Washington Post live forum to discuss important issues in Virginia for 2008. Climate and energy weren’t mentioned once.

There should be an outcry at the Governor’s inaction – letters to the editor, calls, emails. The Governor’s # is (804) 786-2211. Let him know that climate should be a priority.

OK, he’s got an energy plan. We’ve got a Climate Commission. Governor Kaine testified before Congress on the impacts of global warming on the Chesapeake Bay. Where is the solution. Where is the plan??? This is unacceptable.

If the Governor doesn’t have a plan, at least he should support the Clean Energy Future Act. Or in the least, don’t take away the Citizen Boards. No pollution without representation.