The Chairman of the Fairfax County Board Gerry Connolly today joined hundreds in voicing his opposition to a proposed coal-fired power plant in Wise County, Va. Dominion Virginia Power, the largest utility in the commonwealth, is planning to build a new 585 megawatt coal-fired power plant designed primarily to supply the energy demand in Northern Virginia. Continue reading
Show Virginia Where Global Warming Starts
I know what you’re thinking. “I want to show my concern about global warming, but I don’t want to stop dressing like my idol Ashton Kutcher. Why can’t I do both?”
Well rest easy. Now you can. The Chesapeake Climate Action Network has opened an online store where you can buy a trucker’s hat emblazoned with “Dominion: Global Warming Starts Here.”
OK, so you might actually prefer the t-shirt printed on 100% organically-grown cotton. Or the bumper sticker, ready-made for slapping on your Prius. Or the mug, which will advertise that you and your coffee are hotter than they should be.
It’s a purchase you can feel good about because not only will you get high-quality merchandise, but a portion of all sales will go to benefit CCAN and its fight to cut our region’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Can I have a private conversation with The Green Girlfriend for a minute here? Just skip down to the next paragraph. OK? Thanks. Here goes: Yes, I’m buying a trucker’s hat. No, I won’t wear it around you. Yes, I promise never to be photographed wearing it. Or tell anyone you’re my girlfriend while I’m wearing it. Or admit we ever met while I’m wearing it.
Whether you decide to help usher in the new trend of climate fashion or not, please take action now to tell your legislator to support the Virginia Clean Energy Future Act. The legislation, sponsored by State Sen. Chap Peterson, would create incentives for in-state renewable energy and manufacturing, create a Green Jobs training program, and set a statewide standard of 20% renewable energy and 10% improvement in efficiency!
Cross-posted from TheGreenMiles.net
Bristol Herald editorializes AGAINST Wise County Coal Plant
Two weeks ago, the US Forest Service wrote the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality concerned that the proposed Wise County Power Plant would pollute a national park in North Carolina. Citizens spoke out against the proposed plant at a hearing last week. Charlottesville, Blacksburg, and Arlington have all passed resolutions against the proposed plant.But NONE of those come close to today’s development. The Bristol Herald (which last week endorsed Senator William Wampler) just editorialized AGAINST the Wise County Power Plant. Check it out!
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BY Bristol Herald Courier Editorial Board Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 |
Va. Energy: Questions to Ask Before Construction
Today is the last day for placing questions and comments before the Virginia State Corporation Commission (VSCC) (comments) about two major issues from Dominion Virginia Power.
- Wise County coal-fired power plant (application, 14 page pdf) PUE-2007-0066
- A 500 kV transmission line to bring coal electricity to Northern Virginia from Ohio (application, 29 page pdf) PUE-2007-00033
CCAN has had excellent discussion and impassioned calls on the first, the UNWise County coal-fired plant. And again, since today is THE LAST DAY to submit your comments against the Wise County coal plant, please take a moment to do so>>
Now let’s turn to the Power Line question. Quite simply, there has been no efficiency focus in the power line debate, with too much NIMBYite focus. Public officials, before rushing forward with approval of Dominion’s proposal, should ask the questions that follow and consider potential responses.
Wise County Residents Speak Out Against COAL power plant
Last night in St. Paul, VA — ground zero for Dominion Virginia Power’s proposed Wise County coal plant — over 100 citizens raised their voices to question members of the Department of Environmental Quality. Residents raised a variety of concerns. The hearing was organized for DEQ to get input on their Continue reading
Tell the SCC: No New Coal for Va!
By now you’ve heard that Dominion Virginia Power is planning to build a new coal-fired power plant in Wise County, Va. The Richmond Times Dispatch projects that this plant will be “one of the biggest air polluters in Virginia.” It will cost $1.6 billion, and will emit more than 5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually (the equivalent of adding 200 million cars to the road!). And best of all, Virginia ratepayers will foot the entire bill.
It is absolutely critical that the State Corporation Commission (SCC) hears from you. Let them know that Virginians DO NOT WANT NEW COAL PLANTS!
Visit the CCAN website for all you need to know to submit your comments.
In order to build and operate a new coal-fired power plant in Wise County, Dominion must first receive approval from the SCC. This is your opportunity to let the Commission know that this coal plant is a bad deal for Virginia!
Again, the CCAN website has information on how to submit your comments.
The public comment period ends on December 14th. Take this moment to tell the SCC that we don’t want any new coal, and let’s stop this dirty plant.
Click here to learn more about the plant, and what a coalition of Va. groups are doing to fight it.
Putting Coal on the Ballot in Virginia
My alarm went off at 6:00 am. The rain was falling outside and I could count on hours of sleep on one hand (and no thumb). The urge to hit snooze was overwhelming, but I had a job to do! It was November 6th, election day, and I had to get COAL on the ballot!
I was one of over a hundred volunteers participating on “Vote No on Coal”, an outreach campaign designed to educate people about the proposed coal-fired power plant Dominion Virginia Power wants to build in Wise County, and why we as citizens need to say NO NEW COAL. This plant will cost $1.6 billion in taxpayer money, emit millions of tons of CO2, and bring further environmental and health hazards to the already impacted communities of SW Virginia.
Our goal was to collect signatures for a “mile-long petition” that Kathy Selvage and other members of Wise-County based Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards will present to Dominion at their annual shareholder meeting.
Coal Critical Issue in Virginia Election
Over 200 volunteers Continue reading
2007 Virginia Climate Action Conference
On Saturday, Oct. 27, I was privileged to attend a truly historic event. Activists, politicians, students and citizens from all over the Commonwealth of Virginia converged on Charlottesville to participate in the first-ever Virginia Climate Action Conference. The conference represented the first time in the history of the state that Virginian’s had come together with the sole purpose of fighting disastrous climate change right in their own backyard.
There were lectures and panel discussions on a wide range of topics, from biofuels to state energy policy, from coal mining to engaging the faith community, from wind farms to environmental legislation.
The Green Miles even did some live blogging from the event, which you can see here.
For me, it was a great opportunity to learn about the science and politics of climate change in Virginia, with experts panelists drawn from numerous disciplines. Did you know, for example, that with over 3,000 miles of shoreline (as much as California!) Virginia is one of the states most vulnerable to sea-level rise? Or did you know that Virginia is ranked dead-last in state spending on energy efficiency? Or how about the fact that Virginia’s per capita energy usage is 40% percent higher than California’s? Sobering statistics, especially when you consider the efforts of Dominion Power to build even more coal-fired plants.
Perhaps more importantly, though, the Virginia Climate Action Conference was an opportunity to see the passion that Virginian’s have for the well-being of their state, and to witness the kind of progress that can be made when people get together, form coalitions and fight hard for what is right. Already there is a diverse group of people fighting to protect Virginia’s environment. When we come together on a regional level, just as we did last Saturday, there’s no limit to what we can achieve. Continue reading
Coal Kaput in Kansas – what does this mean for Wise County?
Great news for the climate. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment yesterday became the first government agency in the United States to cite carbon dioxide emissions as the reason for rejecting an air permit for a proposed coal-fired electricity generating plant, saying that the greenhouse gas threatens public health and the environment. Read the Washington Post story here.
Kansas has stepped up to help lead the nation away from the dirty energy technologies and towards smart energy solutions. Virginia should follow Kansas’ lead and do its part to help fight global warming by finding cleaner, better ways to produce energy, a goal that does not include allowing Dominion Virginia Power build their proposed coal-fired power plant in Wise County. As most of you probably know, CCAN is part of a major effort to stop Dominion’s proposed power plant.
Kansas’s Sunflower Electric Power, a rural electrical cooperative, wanted to build the pair of big, 700-megawatt, coal-fired plants in order to supply power to parts of Kansas and fast-growing eastern Colorado. Similarly, Dominion claims they need to build the Wise County power plant to meet the growing demand for electricity in Virginia, especially as the population in Northern Virginia explodes.
One interesting note is that Kansas, like Virginia, is not exactly committed to the idea of conserving energy. In fact Kansas and Virginia are in a three-way tie (along with Wyoming) for last in the nation in spending on demand-side management programs according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Those three are the only states that spent absolutely nothing on demand-side conservation.
Despite their lack of interest in energy efficiency and conservation programs in the past, Kansas yesterday reversed course and put climate and health concerns first. Instead of a new coal plant, Kansas has committed to taking a path to a clean energy future.
Dominion has been using the threat of rolling blackouts for a while now. Yet Dominion’s threats are unfounded. Virginia can do better — much better – on energy efficiency and renewable energy, making a new coal plant unnecessary.
CCAN and its coalition members — the Sierra Club, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, Appalachian Voices, and the Southern Environmental Law Center — are fighting Dominion’s proposed coal plant in the courtroom, at the statehouse, and on the street. The victory in Kansas gives us something to point to to show that wise energy decisions are being made in the U.S. right now!