No Coal Lotta Love

After spending millions of dollars to promote the oxymoron that is “Clean Coal”, the coal industry couldn’t shield its investment from a massive coal-ash spill at a power plant in Tennessee just before Christmas. Concerned citizens from all over the U.S. are standing up and declaring coal will always be a filthy energy source and we need to invest the precious time we have into safe, renewable, and clean energy.

The past two months have been a nightmare for the coal industry. First there was the Tennessee spill shortly before Christmas. On New Year’s Day, a coal train derailed in Otero County, Colorado. On Jan. 9, a leak at a second TVA waste pond at the ironically named Widows Creek Power Plant in Alabama spilled some 10,000 gallons of gypsum slurry, that same day a coal train operated by National Coal Corporation overturned, dumping 1,100 tons of coal along the New River in Scott County, Tenn.

Citizens defend SC future while public servants pretend

Submitted by: Kathryn Hilton

There is a coal war in South Carolina.  A fight where a main energy provider, Santee-Cooper, our state regulatory agency, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), and many legislators are trying to take our rights away!  We, the citizens of South Carolina will NOT stand for this injustice.  In our efforts to bring a clean energy future to South Carolina we face many hurdles, fighting in South Carolina is a difficult battle.  Things that are our God given rights as human beings are taken from us.  February 12, 2009 was no exception.

On this day many citizens from across South Carolina assembled in front of DHEC headquarters to rally for clean energy and make our regulatory board take notice of those of us opposed.

After the rally there was an appeal hearing for the Air Quality Permit DHEC granted to Santee-Cooper.  Many organizations and individuals filed appeals.  Our request was heard and we were given a chance to present our case.

I was there on this day.  I listened to both sides.  I heard the negative impacts on the environment and our health this new coal-fired power plant would bring.  I heard DHEC defending their decision and Santee-Cooper downplaying the negative effects.  I had hope the department in charge of protecting our health and environment would admit their mistake in granting an Air Quality permit to Santee-Cooper, not defend their error.  I was wrong.  Their decision was made before any of us walked into the board room that morning.   Santee-Cooper still has their Air Quality permit, concerned groups will appeal this decision in court.

This is not right!  My health and my future are important to me!  This is my call to action!  We may have lost a battle, but we will not lose the war.

I ask you all to join me in protest of this coal-fired power plant in South Carolina and for coal power everywhere.

Take a stand!  Join in solidarity and be part of this change in power.  No longer will corporations be allowed to have unlimited say in what comes and goes in our lives.  This is our home and our life, we must fight to save it, and we must do this now!

Public Service Commission, my thumb!

This week, the South Carolina Public Service Commission ignored all reason and public sentiment in granting South Carolina Electric & Gas a blank check to start charging rate payers for the construction of two new nuclear reactors that are not near fully permitted.  Two reactors that may never be fully built, that may never come online, and still we will pay the 37% rate increase (which could inflate to as high as a 75% as costs inevitably increase) with no hope of  redress.  It’s a pathetically premature move on behalf of the PSC and one that reveals their unwavering loyalty to the utilities and big industry. After an extensive, and at times painfully lengthy hearing process, in which citizen after citizen testified, demanding that SCE&G be required to actually address the potential of energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy in their application before the PSC, that the PSC in no way allow the utility the right to charge its ratepayers for such a boondoggle of a project, the commissioners put on their most patronizing smiles to thank the public for its participation and input.  They then, promptly and unanimously voted against the public and in favor of SCE&G.

Prepared citizens dressed in costume as “nuclear bailout victims” and “fleeced ratepayers” in hopes that they’d look foolish when the PSC made the right decision.  Unfortunately, our theater wasn’t the only one at play in the PSC meeting room and, ultimately, we weren’t the ones looking foolish.  Puppets of industry, seven supposed public servants sold SCE&G ratepayers down the river.  To check out footage of the hearing/protest, visit: WISTV Columbia and to read more about the decision, visit: The State.  And to fight back, visit the SCE&G Ratepayers Strike group.

VICTORY! YOU DID IT!

From Nuclear Information and Resource Service:
(**side note from Mandy: Florida had the highest number of letters and emails of any other state….THANK YOU!!)

Late last night, we got word that the $50 Billion in taxpayer loan guarantees for new nuclear reactors and “clean coal” plants has been stripped from the final economic stimulus bill!
Your actions made a huge difference.
To recap, you:
*sent more than 7,600 letters to your Senators in one week
*sent more than 3,000 letters to your Representatives in the House in three days
*sent more than 1100 letters to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid just yesterday afternoon (unfortunately, most letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were blocked; we’ll work on that problem with our Congressional database service).
*made thousands of phone calls to your Senators and Representatives
*brought needed attention to the issue through your blogs, letters to the editor, your Facebook and Myspace pages, and much more.

The final bill should be voted on in the House later today, and in the Senate probably tomorrow. The final bill almost certainly will pass, and there will be no amendments on this final bill, so the taxpayer money for the dirty and dangerous nuclear/coal industry will stay out of the bill.

Take a moment to celebrate today!

But make no mistake: the nuclear industry and its Congressional backers will try again, and sooner rather than later. Two days ago, for example, they began a new push to have nuclear power declared a “renewable” energy source in Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman’s (D-NM) upcoming Renewable Portfolio Standard bill, which is intended to increase renewable energy production in the U.S. (although first indications are that the bill is much weaker than it should be). This is likely to become a major issue in March.

And there will be new efforts to set up a federal “clean energy bank” to finance nuclear reactors with taxpayer dollars in the coming weeks and months.

In other words, we’ll have to stay vigilant and active, and continue growing this movement if we are to attain the safe, clean, nuclear-free, carbon-free energy future our nation and planet needs.

You have now proven your effectiveness, but we can and must do even more. President Obama’s campaign was successful in large part because of the support of a constantly growing number of ordinary people, taking action and making small donations, that built into an enormous political force. We are taking the same approach: in the past three months, NIRS contact lists have grown by more than one-third–a key element of today’s success. Let’s continue building this movement!

Please make a small donation on our secure servers so we can continue our outreach and build on this success. Your support is gratefully appreciated and every penny is used as wisely as possible.

And from all of us at NIRS: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!!!!

Michael Mariotte
Executive Director
Nuclear Information and Resource Service

::The Green Fee Toolkit Unveiled::

Southern Energy Network is happy to announce the release of the Green Fee Toolkit! It has been a long time coming, but, finally, SEN staff have put the final edits in and Alex Abell has put on the final design touches.

This Green Fee Toolkit will be a valuable resource to those interested in learning more about the Green Fee Campaign, how to run effective Green Fee campaigns, and the successes and challenges of other youth who have run the campaign on their campus.

Aside from providing insight into the Green Fee campaign, this toolkit can provide structure to other campaigns as well. Although framed within the context of a specific campaign, it provides basic insight into campaign planning and can be applied to all sorts of campaigns on campus and within the community!

As one of the editors of the toolkit, I am excited and proud to present the SEN Green Fee Toolkit! Check it and get with your state organizer for more information!

Tennessee: Reggie@cleanenergy.org
North Carolina: Russ@climateaction.net
Georgia/South Carolina: Imran@climateaction.net
Florida: Mandy@climateaction.net

SEN & LRAM Day of Action

On Sunday February 8, the Southern Energy Network & Let’s Raise a Million partnered to install and give away Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs in the

Donnelly Park neighborhood of West End  Atlanta. LRAM is a ecological project that conducts complete energy efficient “clean bulb” retrofits and energy audits at no cost for residents of modest means while informing residents of the economic and environmental benefits of energy conservation.

Misty Novitch and William from creyation @ Morehouse

What …Duke Energy bought the Legislature??

Well not quite, but its not far from the truth……

Thursday (February 5, 2009), five North Carolina groups released a major new report detailing the statewide candidates and elected officials who have benefited from hundreds of thousands of dollars in political contributions in North Carolina by Duke Energy’s political action committee (PAC) and its top executives.

The report is a comprehensive analysis of State Board of Elections data covering the period January 2005-November 2008.

The new report reveals multiple donations from Chairman/CEO Jim Rogers and about two thirds of Duke’s senior executive team. The contributions were made as Duke Energy sought favorable state action on a host of fiercely debated energy matters, including approvals for a new Cliffside coal fired power plant; approval of Senate Bill 3, which shifted much of the risk of building new power plants to the  consumer; a possible nuclear plant just across the border in South Carolina; and the “Save-a-Watt” scheme the company touts as a tool to promote energy efficiency but which critics call a consumer rip-off that does very little to reduce demand for electricity.

You can read the report from the www.stopcliffside.org website.

This report shows tangible evidence of same political influence peddling. In such a time as this where we should all be looking towards the future and real solutions to climate change & the economic crisis, Duke Energy is still looking backwards and working within old frames of thinking. You are seeing the maturing advancement of another major student lead movement as more and more people are seeing the economic and ecologic benefits of efficiency and sustainability. There are billions that could be invested here in North Carolina if the political & corporate will was not so short sighted. Young people have the future to lose. We will & are fighting back – at the Capitol, in Raleigh, in the districts, and at the front steps of Duke Energy.

SEN Power Shift Scholarships: Apply Now!

Southern Energy Network is offering ten $50 scholarships for Southern youth attending Power Shift 2009.  Join 10,000 other youth to make our clean energy future a reality with workshops, a lobby day and an action against coal & more!  We will review applications on February 5th and on a rolling basis after that until we disburse all of our funds.  Spread the word and if you’re interested apply now!
Picture to the right is of NC breakout at Power Shift in 2007.