Mike Tidwell is the director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, an outstanding group with which I've been working closely in recent weeks. The goal is to move Virginia from way in the back of the pack on this issue -- arguably the single greatest challenge facing mankind in the 21st century -- to the cutting edge.
This is not altruism, by the way. The fact is, other states -- Florida, California, Maryland, many others -- are racing ahead on energy efficiency, renewable energy, setting sharp greenhouse gas reduction targets, etc. Virginia risks losing out on a tremendous economic opportunity if we don't get our act in gear. We also risk serious economic jeopardy when Congress moves to cap carbon, effectively raising the price of coal and putting our state at a major economic disadvantage to other states (not to mention other countries).
Unfortunately, Virginia is pretty much nowhere at this point on climate change issues. As if to highlight how woefully behind the times we are here in the Commonwealth on climate change, House Republicans the other day voted down a proposal for STUDYING climate change, with Frank Hargrove babbling incoherently about asteroids and a glacier on his farm 8 years ago. Even worse, other House Republicans asserted that there's nothing we can do about climate change in Virginia anyway, so why bother studying it.
Virginia House Republicans couldn't be more wrong on this issue.
Today, in a Washington Post op-ed, Mike Tidwell explains the situation, and also tells us what we need to do. First and foremost, we need to STOP BUILDING NEW COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS. Here's Tidwell:
Astonishingly, Gov. Tim Kaine supports Dominion Virginia Power's controversial 585-megawatt coal plant proposed for Wise County. He supports this despite three more facts. First, a senior aide of the governor recently admitted that there's "less than 10 years' worth of commercially viable coal left in Virginia." Second, more than 200 Virginians packed a hearing room this month in Richmond to denounce the proposal being considered by the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Third, Kaine's energy plan includes passages explicitly discouraging the development of "conventional" power (i.e., fossil fuels) until the state has maximized efficiency and clean-energy development.Maximized?
Virginia has one of the most bloated, inefficient electricity loads in America. Per capita use is roughly twice as high as it is in California and New York. Just phasing out inefficient light bulbs, as Congress has mandated beginning in 2012, would eliminate electricity consumption in Virginia equal to half the entire output of the Wise County plant. And using money-saving "smart grid" systems -- a technology that painlessly shuts off air conditioners for brief moments and invisibly manages other electricity use in homes -- could save the electricity equivalent of two Wise County plants. So why are we building this facility?
Good questions. Perhaps this has something to do with it -- Dominion's millions spread left and right, north and south, east and west across Virginia? Nah, that wouldn't have ANYTHING to do with politicians' craven cowering before their corporate masters at Dominion? Riiiight...that's why Dominion doles out its millions, to gain no influence and influence no policy choices. And if you believe that, I've got a great new coal-fired plant in Wise County to sell you...
Speaking of which, here's Tidwell again:
Twenty five percent of the land area in beautiful Wise County, in the heart of Appalachia, has been destroyed by mountaintop removal and other mining in the past four decades. Let's save the mountains still standing and embrace durable, sustainable industries there such as cultural tourism, outdoor recreation and wind farms. Let's simultaneously retrain and support the coal miners who'd rather build solar panels and windmills anyway, if only they had a governor and legislature willing to stand up to Dominion and finally say stop!
Gov. Kaine, I'm asking you specifically, right here, right now: STOP THE WISE COUNTY COAL-FIRED PLANT! You have the bully pulpit -- now it's time use it. You are a religious man -- not it's time to protect God's creation. You are a smart man -- you must understand the damage this plant will do to Virginia's environment, as well as the fact that we don't even need it!
While you're at it, Gov. Kaine, please announce your support for Chap Petersen's groundbreaking Clean Energy Future Act. As Mike Tidwell writes, this plan "would follow the lead of dozens of other states in setting robust but realistic statutory targets in clean power, efficiency and 'green jobs.'"
Again, this is NOT altruism. People like Gov. Mark Warner (with whom I spoke recently about this issue recently) clearly understand: this is about potentially enormous opportunity for Virginia's 21st century economy. This is about protecting our environment for outdoorsmen, hunters and anglers. This is about providing a huge, long-term economic boost to economically struggling areas of the state. This is about U.S. national security and the fight against terrorism fueled in part by petrodollars. This is about preventing naval bases in Hampton Roads from being swamped by rising sea levels caused by global warming. And, last but not least, this is about leadership on what Al Gore correctly calls a "moral and spiritual challenge."
Gov. Kaine: please rise to that challenge. Please stop the Wise County coal-fired power plant. Please support the Clean Energy Future Act. And please dhow the world what kind of a leader Virginia can be when it puts its collective mind and efforts to a great cause. Thank you.
This is a hugely important issue and a very well written diary.