At 7:55am Wednesday morning, activists with Blue Ridge Earth First! established a blockade at the entrance to Dominion Power’s James River headquarters. Three youth activists locked themselves to one another, blocking both lanes of the only road in and out of the office complex for close to an hour. Supporters stood-by holding signs and banners demanding “No Coal for Virginia”. This action was done in solidarity with the growing campaign challenging Dominion’s proposed coal-fired power plant in Wise County, VA.The youth activists maintained the blockade for approximately an hour and a half. After 45 minutes, the police dragged the three locked down to the side of the road, thus permitting Dominion employees to pass to work. After the blockade, the three activists locked down received a summons for blocking traffic.
Participants traveled from all corners of the state for this action. They represent the youth voice opposed to Dominion’s coal-fired power plant. “Climate change is jeopardizing my future and I’m not going to just sit by and let Dominion lock us into another generation of dirty coal,” added Marley Green, a student who participated in the roadblock. The youth movement has been gaining momentum around this campaign, demanding Dominion and Virginia politicians implement clean, renewable energy in place of dirty coal.
“It’s clear that if this power plant is going to be stopped, we the people are going to have to stop it,” said Hannah Morgan, a former Wise County resident and current landowner who was locked down in the blockade.
Since Dominion announced its plans for the plant in 2006, protests, petitions, public comments, and other displays of opposition have poured out from communities across the state. If built, the power plant would release 5.4 million tons of CO2 annually, making it one of the biggest polluters in the state. The plant would also emit other greenhouse gases, 49 pounds of mercury, and other dangerous pollutants into our air and water. Furthermore, the plant would accelerate the rate of mountaintop removal mining in Virginia. Mountaintop removal has already destroyed 25% of Wise County’s Mountains, and threatens the lives of all Appalachians.
Come out May 8th to Richmond and help deliver the mile-long petition with hundreds of others from across the state opposing the plant. Join other Virginians in collecting 50,000 petitions signatures by May 1st.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Four Points by Sheraton
1-66/Rt 234, Manassas
"Lights Out in Prince William: Is There a Plan for Our Energy Future?"
The program investigates the new energy debate: balancing costs, growth and environment-friendly alternatives. Please see the our Newsletter page for all the details on the program.
Panelists include senior representatives from Dominion, NOVEC, LS Power, Prince William County Public Works and the Prince William Energy Coalition. Moderator is Senator Chap Peterson, chief patron of the Clean Energy Act, introduced in the 2008 General Assembly.
Rolling blackouts, drilling for oil off the Virginia shoreline... is it really possible?
Learn more about the Future of Energy in Virginia and do your part to become informed during "Earth Day" month.
Reception and dinner begin at 6:30 pm. The cost is $25/member, $30/guest.
The public is welcome and there is no cost to attend the program only at 7:45 pm.
For dinner reservations, e-mail secretarycommitteeof100@yahoo.com
It will be video taped, but it takes a while to edit and up-load.... usually 90 minutes and this could be bigger......
Urge Senators To Improve Climate Bill,
Reject Bush RhetoricDear Lowell,
Yesterday, President Bush finally decided to weigh in on global warming after seven years on the sideline. His speech came as the U.S. Senate is poised to vote on legislation that would put us on the path to a safer climate by ensuring significant near term reductions of global warming pollution. Unfortunately, the president's suggestion that we delay any emission cuts until 2025 shows he would prefer to derail the Senate process than make a real contribution. Please urge your senators to move beyond the president's rhetoric by supporting strong global warming legislation.
Sincerely,
Kate Abend
National Field Organizer
UCS Climate ProgramSubject: Please Improve Climate Security Act
Dear Senators,
I urge you to reject President Bush's do-nothing approach on global warming and ask you to support and strengthen the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 2191).
President Bush's recent attempt to derail progress on global warming would put our nation and the world at risk of unavoidable and unmanageable climate change. We can not delay action until 2025.
The Climate Security Act (S. 2191) is a strong, comprehensive bill that establishes a good framework for reducing global warming pollution. To ensure the bill is strong enough to prevent dangerous warming, please support the following improvements:
* Require science-based emission reductions of at least 80 percent by 2050 and ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency adjusts this target if the National Academy of Sciences finds that we are not on track to avoid dangerous warming.
* Eliminate or significantly reduce free emission allowances for polluters. Proceeds from auctioned allowances and any free allowances should benefit public programs and promote investment in clean energy technologies.
* Oppose attempts to provide additional subsidies for coal or nuclear power, which already receive substantial benefits under this bill.
The longer we postpone action, the harder and more costly it will be to avoid the worst effects of global warming. Please help pass a strong global warming bill that will protect our children from dangerous climate change.
Click here to take action.