The reason behind this concern is, of course, fairly easy to identify. Coal slurry ponds, which may hold several billion gallons of the toxic sludge, are typically held in place by earthen dams made of rock and other fill material. While typically sturdy, history has shown us that these dams are definitely prone to failure, especially when not regulated properly. In fact, the dangers surrounding slurry dams have been well known and well documented for decades. West Virginia’s Buffalo Creek Flood of 1972 destroyed over 500 homes with a 30-foot high, 132 million gallon wave of the toxic stuff. When blasting occurs near these ponds (as it does near Marsh Fork Elmentary in Sunrise, WV), the risk becomes intensified as nearby shockwaves may threaten the structural integrity of the dam.

Fly ash, though dry and therefore less at risk to flooding, presents just as serious a hazard to the local ecosystem, including surrounding communities, wildlife, and groundwater reserves. Fly ash is stored in landfills, most of which are lined, but all of which are failure-prone. Particles in the air, blown from these ash impoundments, can cause serious health problems such as asthma and other respiratory diseases. Like wet slurry, fly ash contains a cocktail of harmful heavy metals and other contaminants that present a serious threat to the local and regional ecosystem… and to human health.

“CCRs [coal combustion residues] contain a broad range of metals, for example, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, lead, and mercury, but the concentrations of these are generally low. However, if not properly managed, (for example, in lined units), CCRs may cause a risk to human health and the environment and, in fact, EPA has documented cases of environmental damage“ (courtesy EPA.gov).

The collection and storage of coal ash is but one piece in a larger fossil fuel regime that thrives on the continued exploitation of the United States’ natural, non-renewable resources, known to cause significant air pollution and contribute to global climate change. The coal extraction, combustion, and disposal process is among the most destructive practices in human history, and with the continued popularity of mountaintop removal mining, the coal industry goes so far as to threaten the geography of Appalachia itself.

The EPA has made positive steps in naming these so-called high-risk sites, but seems to be avoiding tackling the bigger picture; coal is an unsustainable resource that is dirty, harmful, and dangerous. While 44 of these impoundment sites may be deemed more at-risk than others, the fact remains that anywhere coal is extracted, burned, or stored, safety is a non-issue, because coal is not, and never will be, “safe.”

President Obama, who has so far struggled with fulfilling his promise of increased transparency and accountability within government, has made significant forward progress by allowing the release of these 44 sites. However, the larger issue of formulating an American energy future – one without coal – rests untackled. As long as coal is allowed to thrive in Appalachia, the Midwest, and elsewhere, American citizens will remain at risk. The fossil fuel industry represents an old and outdated way of thinking: the idea that our actions now will bear no consequence on the future. We have now stepped healthily into the 21st century, largely thankful to the energy that fossil fuels of yore have given us, and as we continue to evolve as a species and a society, we are charged with abandoning a tradition that will serve no other end but to continue to harm Americans.

President Obama, Congress, and the EPA, if we are to bring the United States into a clean energy future, one that emphasizes the importance of renewable technologies, green jobs, and energy that is free of filthy, harmful substances, then we must see a real effort to focus on goals that do not give coal a future in the grid. The EPA seems to think that the term, “high risk,” should be reserved for a mere 44 out of the hundreds of slurry ponds and fly ash fills that sprinkle the American landscape. A more appropriate move would be to extend the “high risk” moniker to its proper breadth, across the entire industry.

COAL: Henry Waxman, speaking about the cap and its effect on coal, talked about how ghg reductions have to be made by coal companies. He said that the idea is that they can keep using coal while investment is being made in carbon capture and sequestration, but they have to figure out how to reduce emissions. The offsets may help them do it, he said. Then he made a statement about nuclear power that seemed as if he was saying that this is another way coal companies could reduce emissions, i.e., build nuke plants to replace coal.

Waxman and Markey made it very clear that they see coal as being part of the plan for a long time. In response to a question about mountaintop removal and the pollution caused by the burning of coal, Waxman talked about U.S. coal being important in terms of “reducing foreign sources of energy.” He and Markey also talked about how if the U.S. moves forward with the production of carbon capture and sequestration (ccs) technology, we can be a world leader in exporting that to other countries which are also big on coal. Neither of them responded to the original question asking about mountaintop removal and coal pollution.

COPENHAGEN: Waxman said that he thinks their targets for reductions in the bill will be OK for most countries at Copenhagen. We’ll have to see on that, he may be right, which would be sad given what was adopted at the U.N. Bali climate conference in December, 2007 as far as the need for 25-40% reductions below 1990 levels by industrialized countries.

STRENGTHENING THE BILL: In responding to a question about strengthening and not weakening the bill, Waxman and then Markey didn’t say anything at all about strengthening. Waxman said explicitly that “if we get the votes for this bill we don’t have to make any changes at all.” This was as part of his and Markey’s appeal for everyone on the call to work hard to get Congresspeople to support the bill as is.

AUCTIONS, FREE PERMITS TO POLLUTERS: A question was asked about why a 100% auction of permits was not the approach used. The question also asked about all of the free emissions permits given to polluters. In response, a staffer on the Energy and Commerce Committee said that “50% of the money is for consumers.” This echoed the way they’ve been describing the free permits given to the fossil fuel industry. She said they were worried that if they have 100% auction that “there will be big electric rate increases in the Midwest and that could undermine support for the program.”

REMOVAL OF EPA REGULATORY POWER: A question was asked about why the bill removed the power of the EPA to regulate stationary sources of carbon emissions, e.g., coal plants. A staffer responded by saying that even if EPA had that authority, they could limit emissions at one plant and there’d just be another plant where emissions could go up. She said, “this is an area where it’s tough to achieve political consensus without giving certainty to industry,” meaning the fossil fuel industry. “If they (coal and other stationary sources of carbon emissions) had concerns about individual plants being regulated,” it would be a problem, apparently meaning a problem as far as them continuing to do business as carbon emitters for many more years to come.

GREEN JOBS: On green jobs, they said there was 500 million dollars for a job training act. They said targeted hiring of people of color/disadvantaged communities was not within their jurisdiction.

GETTING THE JOB DONE: The final question was about why we should be confident that this bill will do the job of reducing emissions given that the science says that emissions need to start going down worldwide within 6 years, by 2015, to have a chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change. The staff took a little time to respond on this. The answer by Greg Dobson was that this bill sends a strong message that emissions must come down. “What we saw in the last two years was that the spectre of EPA regulation was enough to cancel coal plants. Now we have this bill which will send a signal that we’re serious.”

My comments:

-It is unfortunate that it was not stated on the call that the public position of the groups which organized the call, and most environmental groups, is that the bill needs to be strengthened, not just passed as is. It would have been a good thing to have Waxman and Markey specifically respond to the specific strengthening amendments which those groups are advocating for.

-The answer to the question about 100% auction and free emissions permits to the fossil fuel industry was disturbing. 100% auction was the position taken by Presidential candidate Barack Obama and by President Obama for the first few months of this year. He called for 80-85% of the revenue from that 100% auction to be returned to taxpayers/consumers to help them deal with the rising cost of fossil fuels caused by that 100% auction, which would help not just Midwesterners but everyone in the USA. And giving the fossil fuel industry 50% of the emissions permits for free is not giving them to consumers. It is unrealistic, to say the least, to think that coal, oil and natural gas companies are going to pass along all of the value of those free permits to consumers or that regulatory bodies have the resources to seriously investigate what they do with the money made from those free permits.

-Finally, it is hard to believe that removing regulatory authority from the EPA over stationary sources of carbon emissions is a benign thing. If “the spectre,” as it was described, of EPA regulation of carbon emissions was enough to cause the cancellation of plans for new coal plants, wouldn’t the actual power to do so have even more of an impact? But again, every indication is that this bill is not about getting the U.S. off coal. That was as much as said by Waxman and Markey. And it is backed up by the fact that the legislation allows new coal plants to be built for the next 11 years that don’t need to sequester any carbon until 2025.

There is a very serious need for a very serious campaign to strengthen this bill. And the American people need and deserve a discussion on the House floor by their elected leaders about the best way forward towards a clean energy economy.

Last night 1Sky and the Energy Action Coalition hosted a conference call with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairs Henry Waxman and Ed Markey to discuss the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Let me begin by thanking Gillian Caldwell at 1Sky for moderating, and the congressman and their staff for attending the call. The hour long conference call, attended by more than 600 listeners, answered about 15 specific policy questions about the bill.  Annette Welch from WV asked about the provisions for coal and CCS in the bill, and what the legislation would do about the practice of mountain top removal coal mining and and pollutants from coal burning power plants…the answer from the chairmen was less than disappointing.

When asked about coal, Waxman stated that this bill is tough on coal—it requires coal companies stay within national carbon cap, when it comes to emissions of CO2. Markey replied that incentives for developing CCS are important “because coal is so plentiful in the United States.”  Waxman also noted that coal but can be part of energy future in the US—it is one of three pillars is reducing foreign sources of energy…then, prepare yourselves….Markey finished the question off by adding that even if we stop using coal other countries won’t stop—we, the U.S., need to find way to be a leader in CCS, then export the technology to Russia, china, India, etc. They did not respond to the question of mountain top removal.

A bill that ignores the root causes of an enormous carbon emitter, allows billions of dollars to be funneled to the dirty industries accelerating global climate change, and then is touted as being “tough” on the issue is not one that I can support. It may be necessary to compromise in order to get votes to pass a bill-  but if we take this bill as-is, global climate change will continue to accelerate. Americans will pay for higher energy costs without benefiting from lower carbon emissions. There will be a market for carbon that the coal companies will benefit from, while coalfield communities will continue to suffer.

There is nothing “tough” on coal in this bill. There is nothing clean about coal. I am willing to work for good climate policy, but not help bad climate policy get passed quickly. It is not worth compromising our health and our environment in order to have “policy as soon as possible.”  Nope.

9:00 A.M. – We’re pushing 20 kids, and the police are worried that the room isn’t large enough. Talk about a turnout! -Peebles

10:10 A.M. – The hearing has been postponed until 10:30. We should be filing in soon. Proceedings are set to begin around 10:40. -Peebles

10:30 A.M. – Members of the press have arrived, including one network from France and Germany. They want to know why we’re here (very intrigued). We told them that we want clean energy now! Things should be starting up shortly. -Peebles

10:34 A.M. – Boucher’s here, the great disarchitect of ACES. -Peebles

10:45 A.M. -”This bill achieves those goals, but does so in a way that will help, not hurt, consumers.” Consumers, according to Markey, are the top priority. “Saving families money” “55% of allocative value will go to consumers.” He’s running this consumer thing into the ground. Maintaining international competitiveness also a priority, and promoting clean and efficient energy (to save money for consumers!). According to OMB, the Waxman-Markey bill will help to drastically reduce the budget deficit by 2020. It would probably go faster if carbon permits were 100% auctioned. “Make the right choices, and unleash innovation now” to “provide a safe and healthy future for our economy.” -Peebles
10:50 Congressman Upton (R-MI) – “Cap and Trade is a great big tax.” Speaking on the projected costs and hikes on gasoline prices. 1.5 Trilion expected to be raised by 2020 through cap & trade. -Peebles

10 June 2009, 9:29 A.M. In case you had not noticed, this event seemed to disappear at 10:50. Some technical problems, along with the failure of my computer battery, put everything on hold. So, to summarize…
The day was not what one would consider a victory for the climate movement. Nearly every panelist tried to make the case for further weakening of the bill, and Congressman Boucher found the atmosphere in the room to be quite to his coal-friendly liking. In spite of this, the bill has already been through markup in Energy & Commerce, so the hearing turned out to be, more or less, a time for those opposed to the existent markup to offer their criticisms.
Although E&C won’t be further weakening the bill, there are still opportunities before it hits the floor to continue to disassemble this legislation. Keeping the pressure on until we get a vote will help to ensure that ACES goes through as together as possible, and — God willing — maybe even stronger. -Peebles

Surry, Virginia, is about as picturesque as they come. A portrait of the rural south, Surry and its neighbor, Dendron, offer testament to the unique charm and unavoidable beauty that accompanies the idea of small-town America. Wary of outsiders and exceptionally warm toward neighbors and friends, the residents of Surry County understand the inherent splendor of a life that is unhindered by external influence. Naturally, it comes as no surprise that Old Dominion Electric Cooperative’s proposed dirty, unhealthy, coal-fired power plant has been received with very few open arms in the community.

Of course, this has not dampened the large cooperative’s desire to take advantage of a small town with its share of economic difficulties. With the promise of new jobs and increased tax revenue, ODEC has repeatedly stressed the so-called benefits to be won from the massive plant’s construction. On Monday evening, Dendron’s town council brought these claims to task during their regular meeting. Dendronites are engaged in a fight to save the health of their community, their children, and the irreplaceable beauty of the surrounding environment.

The Coalition to Keep Surry Clean, spearheaded by a group of energized residents and neighbors, has brought the fight against dirty coal to a national level. The evening kicked off with an outdoor potluck, featuring democratic gubernatorial candidate, Brian Moran (the only of the three in opposition to the plant). Under the watchful eye of national and local media, citizens called for a Surry that would be free of excess pollution, harmful chemicals and obtrusive, dangerous, 600-foot smokestacks. Coalition spokeswoman, Beth Roach, cast an air of humility over the audience as she called on all people to consider and ensure the health and happiness of future generations. Through the timeless words of Iroquois leader, Peacemaker, the message requires little interpretation:

“Think not forever of yourselves, O Chiefs, nor of your own generation. Think of continuing generations of our families, think of our grandchildren and of those yet unborn, whose faces are coming from beneath the ground.”

Enough said.

Potluck dinners bring a certain level of warmth to any occasion. However, on Monday, the positive energy surrounding Dendron’s monthly town council meeting greatly exceeded the sense of community and trust that one garners from a sunny afternoon spent with friends. With attendance toppling 300 people, the Surry County recreational center played host to what is likely the single largest crowd ever assembled in the county. Many of the host sported signs reading “No coal is clean coal,” and, “Stop the coal plant” as town council members filed into the room.

This is not to say that ODEC’s presence was not felt. While the cooperative’s headquarters in Glen Allen, Virginia lay empty, a crowd of sharp-dressed men, sporting Italian loafers (read: “you aren’t from around here, are you?”) began to slowly file into the recreational center’s backmost seats. Donning stickers reading, “I support Cypress Creek Coal,” the out-of-towners reminded most that ODEC was an organization of “loud voices and deep pockets.” A phony and feeble show of force, ODEC’s decision to import supporters from 90 miles away sent a clear message to residents and local organizers; the cooperative reeks of desperation.

ODEC’s death throes have been characterized by more than one instance in which the cooperative has undercut, balked, and downright avoided altogether any legitimate form of engagement with the Dendron community. From reprinting already refuted newspaper articles to holding invitation-only meetings to gain support for the plant, the cooperative has come to the realization that their battle will not be won by winning over the community, but by running it over.

Most recently, the cooperative announced a bus tour of the neighboring coal-fired plant in Clover, VA (one that has been fined more than $5 million for environmental violations) in order to showcase the cleanliness of their facilities. Originally scheduled for June 6, ODEC chose to move the tour forward one week to May 31. No one was informed of the change, and ODEC has since denied the existence of the original tour date. Instead, the coop chose to direct its attention local low-income families and minorities, many of which are unemployed. With the promise of new jobs (the Clover plant has eight full-time employees) and outlandish claims such as the promise of a new municipal water system, the shift in the tour schedule allowed ODEC to mislead, and outright lie, to a large portion of Dendron’s population. The move was underhanded, citizens were not informed of the change, and ODEC categorically denies the existence of the former tour date.

As the town council meeting progressed, ODEC’s deliberate sidestepping of due process became increasingly prominent. Those opposed to the plant spoke from the heart, expressing a deep seated concern for their community and the health their children, grandchildren, rivers and streams, livestock, and the economic future of a town dominated by dirty industry. Those who testified in support of the plant were not difficult to identify, likely due to the fact they don’t live in Surry.

ODEC’s pithy attempt at frightening the town council into submission was yet again put on hold as the council voted to put on hold the decision to delegate the plant’s zoning to the pro-coal county board of supervisors. Needless to say, the out-of-towners weren’t pleased, and it wasn’t long before the ODEC mob had begun its return to Glen Allen, where it belongs. Citizens and members of the Coalition to Keep Surry Clean smiled and laughed quietly outside the meeting hall, but Surry’s future remains uncertain as long as the ordinance stays tabled.

No one will deny that these folks are in it for the long haul. A minor victory on Monday marks one of many steps that must be taken to ensure that Dendron maintains its status as a beautiful, tiny piece of rural America. ODEC walked away disappointed, but far from beaten. “Loud voices and deep pockets,” echoes Surry resident, Betsy Shepard, “Well, we’re louder.”

Playing fair oftentimes involves dealing with those who do not. If you have your doubts, look no further than Dendron, Virginia. Dirty coal has its money, its massive legal entourage, and dozens of hands in even more pockets. Coal does not play fair; it is impersonal, cold, and dangerous.

Taking the high road means fighting a tougher fight, but the children of Surry remain vigilant, awaiting ODEC’s next move.  Bring it on.

Posted in global warming ]]> http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/06/03/hope-for-surry-shines-through-the-smog/feed/ 1 Editor surry_sign http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/05/21/11023/ http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/05/21/11023/#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 19:27:41 +0000 hilarycoleen http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/05/21/11023/ ]]> Rep. Boucher’s Handouts to Coal Lobby Hurt Working Families

Nearly 20 people arrested for protesting Virginia Congressman Boucher’s efforts to block strong climate legislation

This article is also posted on the Chesapeake Climate Action Network’s Blog.

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2009—Nearly 20 concerned citizens were arrested today for peacefully blocking the entrance to Virginia Congressman Boucher’s office protesting his efforts to gut strong climate legislation at the expense of American families. Congressman Boucher has driven efforts in Congress to give away billions of dollars worth of free permits directly to coal, oil and other dirty fossil fuel companies under a cap and trade bill.

“The problem is Rick Boucher, the victims are American families, and the solution, as proposed by President Obama during his campaign, is a simple and fair polluter-pays cap that solves the climate crisis while rebating consumers,” said Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, who was among those arrested today.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Congressman Edward Markey (D-MA) co-authored the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which regulates greenhouse gases. The Energy and Commerce Committee released the 946-page bill last Friday and has spent this week marking it up. Congressman Boucher, who received $176,000 from the coal industry during his most recent re-election campaign, has led efforts to weaken the bill in committee.

Instead of making polluters pay for the permits to dump carbon into the atmosphere, an approach President Obama supported during his campaign, Rep. Boucher has negotiated a deal where 35 percent of the allowances will be given away directly to utilities, also called local distribution companies. Allowances given to these companies would be worth $20.8 billion a year starting in 2012.

In April, the Environmental Protection Agency conducted an analysis of the Waxman-Markey bill (in discussion form) and found that giving free allocations to utilities under a cap and trade program would raise the total cost of the program and hurt poor Americans the most.

“Returning the allowance value to consumers of electricity via local distribution companies… makes the cap-and-trade policy more costly overall,” the EPA concluded in its analysis. “Freely distributed allowances to firms tends to be very regressive. Higher income households may actually gain at the expense of lower income households under this policy.”

More than fifty people gathered outside Congressman Boucher’s office at noon today to highlight how Boucher’s handouts to the coal industry will hurt working families and diminish efforts to fight global warming. They said they hoped their efforts would send a message to other members of Congress that now is the time for bold, urgent action to solve global warming and that they will be held accountable for their stance on the bill.

Virginia Tech student Joshua Deutschmann traveled to Capitol Hill to join the protest .

“As a student and a voter in Southwest Virginia, I was deeply disappointed by Representative Boucher’s response to the Waxman-Markey climate bill,” he said. “It appears he has played a key part in dismantling the core of the bill, emphasizing dirty coal instead of clean renewable technology and jobs in Southwest Virginia. “

Protesters compared the polluter giveaways to the government’s recent bailout of Wall Street and American Insurance Group. Except, unlike Wall Street, utility companies are not failing. Last year alone, America’s 48 largest utilities earned profits of $28 billion. Dominion Resources, a major campaign contributor to Congressman Boucher, made a whopping $1.8 billion last year.

Participants who chose not to risk arrest stood outside the doorway holding statements of support sent in by southwest Virginians.

“I’ve been a supporter of yours since your first race, but it’s time to put the health of the planet ahead of short-term profits,” read a statement from Chris Prokosch of Floyd, Virginia. “The coal industry will have to clean up sooner or later — later may be too late for all of us.”

Chances are, if you are a constituent of Rep. Doyle, Rep. Matheson, Rep. Green, Rep. or Rep. Boucher, you did. Countless young people from districts represented by congressmen who sit on the House Energy and Commerce Committee participated in a national call-in day for a strong climate bill.

Blue-Dog Democrats, lead by Rep. Rick Boucher (D, VA-9), have taken steps in the past week to weaken the emissions targets in the American Clean Energy and Security Act , to give handouts to polluters, and to weaken the Renewable Portfolio Standard in the bill. Young people are making sure our demands for bold action on climate change that will create jobs, boost the economy and protect future generations from the impacts of global warming are being heard. As a physical representation of the national call-in day, 10 students and organizers set up a phone bank in the hallway outside Rep. Boucher’s office. In just a few hours of phone banking we generated calls from across swing districts to key leaders, and we were noticed.

Rep. Boucher walked past us on his way into the office. When we approached him to explain that we were there on behalf of constituents who were calling the office about these important issues, who have tried and tried to get a meeting with him to discuss strengthening the bill- he ignored us and walked into the office. Soon thereafter his Chief of Staff, came out to speak with us. We delivered a meeting request from students at Virginia Tech students, photos from Powershift, and a list of demands for a strong climate bill, and spoke with her about the possibility of meeting with Congressman Boucher next week. Our voices across the country were heard loud and clear today, from the district office of Rep. Matheson in Utah, to the phone lines of students at Virginia Tech, and at the doors of Rep. Boucher’s office in Washington DC.

Young people believe that now is the time to strengthen the climate bill, not weaken it. In a time when the consequences of global warming are clear and present and families are struggling financially, we need our leaders to pass strong climate legislation that will repower America and rebuild our economy. And we will work toward this end, on the phone, on line, in letters, and in person until our clean energy future is secured.

This article is crossposted on the CCAN Blog

This morning the Chesapeake Climate Action Network successfully caught the attention of Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe at a rally he hosted at the 17th Street Farmer’s Market in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond Town Councilman Marty Jewel kicked off the morning, and former President Bill Clinton introduced Mr. McAuliffe. The theme of the rally was “New Energy for New Jobs,” and the candidate’s speech centered repowering the commonwealth and creating new jobs for Virginians. CCAN wanted to ask Mr. McAuliffe about his position on a recently proposed coal fired power plant for Surry County, a Hampton Roads community. Well, we got his attention!

The Surry Plant has been a hot topic during the first part of the campaign. The Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) proposed to build a new, $6 billion coal-fired power plant right next to the James River in the town of Dendron, in Surry County. The 1,500 megawatt Hampton Roads plant would emit about 14.6 million tons of CO2 a year– a potential total of 876 million tons over the plant’s 60-year lifespan. ODEC asserts that the plant is necessary to meet its customer’s energy needs. Yet, the cooperative could meet its energy needs for the next 25 years through energy efficiency measures alone!

One of McAuliffe’s opponents in the race for the democratic nomination, Brian Moran, spoke out against the plant a few months ago, but McAuliffe has remined silent on the issue of the plant. With signs asking about the plant and calling for a moratorium on MTR we got great spots for the rally, and it was obvious he was reading our posters as he spoke. We were able to talk with Mr. McAuliffe after the event, and when I asked if he would opposed the construction of the plant he responded “I think we should do a study, and if the study shows its a bad idea to build the plant, I will oppose it.”

Well, all Mr. McAuliffe need to do is read the papers: Today Synapse Enery Economics, Inc. released a report about the plant, which states that when factoring in the almost-certain federal CO2 controls, a mixture of efficiency, offshore wind, biomass, and combined-cycle natural gas generation that provides roughly the same power as the proposed Hampton Roads coal-fired power plant would emit five times less CO2, and cost anywhere between 1.7 cents and 4.5 cents per kWh less than the plant. We all know the devestating costs of MTR on ground water resources, the effects the mining and buring of coal has on health, and the carbon emmissions of coal. More than 80 coal power plants have been cancelled, delayed, or rejected in recent years due in significant part to those issues, and uncertainty over construction costs and future carbon controls.

A bad idea? You betcha’.

In a school-wide celebration of Earth Day, students at the Collegiate School in Richmond, VA heard speakers, attended workshops, and participated in projects to learn about environmental issues-rather than sitting in class- on April 21. The event was organized by Holly Smith, school Art Teacher and Lindy Williams, Associate Head of School- both inspired by sustainability and firm believers that through education and student involvement, problems like global warming can be solved.

Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, addressed the High School on why global warming is the moral, economic, and envronmental issus we all must work together to solve. Following his address, Hilary Lufkin, Virginia Campus Organizer of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, addressed the Middle School on the history of Earth Day, and how Earth Day 2009 is so important in solving the climate crisis.

In the afternoon students attended different workshops, almost 30 to choose from, with topics ranging from sustainable food to transportation- electricity generation to organizing 101- presented by local environmental organizations.

I spoke with students on civics. Civic engagement is the largest way to have an impact on the issues- and with the Waxman/Markey bill being heard in congress this Earth Day, there is no better time to get involved by calling your representatives, writing letters, and making sure your voice is heard. Energy Action has a fantastic physical presence at the hearings, and around Virginia students are playing a role as well- even from afar.

Students learned about why grassroots organizing is so important and how they can be involved in sending messages to their elected officials this Earht Day, but we didn’t stop there…we took action! We wrote more than 20 letters, took photos for the photo petition, and some students even spoke with Eric Cantor’s office.

This Earth Day, remember that history is in the making, and there is nothing more powerful than stepping up and getting involved!

Organizing meetings, traveling endlessly, conference calls like crazy- sometimes its easy to loose sight of why we organize. Well, last night at a Town Hall Meeting, Ridge Schuyler, District Director for Tom Perriello (VA-5)- as well as more than 30 residents of Appomattox, VA- affirmed this for me.

Heather Riggleman, senior at Sweet Briar College and lifetime resident of Appomattox, organized the meeting as a first step in creating a town dialogue on climate change and local solutions in her new role as Climate Precinct Captain in Appomattox, as a part of Focus the Nation 2009.

Heather opened the program with a presentation on the urgency of climate change, why it matters to Virginians, and gave an overview of the principles of Cap and Trade and a Carbon Tax.

Following Heather, I gave a presentation on local solutions and how citizens can be involved in the federal legislative process.

Finally, Ridge Schuyler, District Director for Rep. Perriello spoke. Schuyler, a 10 year veteran of The Hill and former employee of The nature Conservancy, was wonderful. He spoke on Perriello’s desire to re-energize Virginia and his interest in making Virginia a “leader” in a new energy economy.

The best part, though, was when he spoke about civic engagement. He stated that Americans are more civically engaged than he has ever seen, and more than once he mentioned that Washington needs to hear from voters…And Mr. Schuyler knows that voters matter. If 772 people hadn’t voted on November 4^th, Mr. Perriello wouldn’t be in Washington- Mr. Schuyler reiterated that if representatives don’t hear from constituents, they won’t know how to vote; he called on people to call, to write letters, and to visit as often as possible. He askd us to keep the pressure on!

When asked about the climate bills on the table, he said Perriello hasn’t determined a position on Waxman-Markey or Van Hollens’ bills. As a first term congressman who won by a margin slimmer than you can imagine, obviously he is careful to be a champion on anything yet, but given his past service with PIRG and Greencorps and his vision for Virginia, I think if the 5^th district speaks loud enough, we’ll have another southern environmental steward in congress!

But, you heard it from them first…he can only be a champion if he continues to hear that is what his constituents want! Washington knows we voted, we are putting the pressure on…we can’t stop now!

Cheers to continuing the Powershift!

Posted in global warming ]]> http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/04/20/tom-perriellos-aide-i-have-never-seen-citizens-so-engaged/feed/ 1 Editor