In Richmond? Join the Clean Energy Parade this Sat.

For those of you who can’t make the trip for the history-making rally in DC this Saturday, I just got word of another rally on Saturday in Richmond. The Clean Energy Works campaign, a coalition of environmental, labor, faith, and national security organizations working to pass national clean energy legislation, will be marching in Virginia Union University’s homecoming parade! VUU is a historically black university in the City of Richmond. This year their parade will include a group marching in support of less pollution, more jobs, and greater security.

Everyone loves a parade. They’re an American institution. Plus clean energy will make us more secure and independent. What could more American than that?

Clean Energy Works is looking for folks who are excited about clean energy and green jobs in Virginia to march in VUU’s homecoming parade with them. They’ll be walking with beautiful, bright signs, t-shirts, flags and green hard hats. It should be fun!

If you’re interested, meet at the corner of 10th and Leigh streets at 9am on Saturday the 24th, continue down Broad St. and then right on Lombardy to the campus.

You can contact Antigone Ambrose if you have questions!
804-225-9113 ext. 112
Antigone.ambrose@sierraclub.org. More details below the fold. Continue reading

Sales Tax Holiday on Energy Efficient Products (this Fri-Mon)

This weekend marks Virginia’s annual sales tax holiday on energy efficient products — items like Energy Star dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators, air conditioners, ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats, or Water Sense rated faucets and toilets. So if you’ve been thinking about making a purchase, this weekend is the time to do it.

More on the sales tax holiday

New Rebates for Efficiency Products
A number of new rebates for energy efficient products will also be available as part of the stimulus package –rebates on items such as insulation, window replacements, water heaters and more. In Virginia, homeowners will be eligible for rebates for 20% of the costs of eligible products (up to $2,000), and commercial consumers will be eligible for 20% of their costs (up to $4,000). The rebates will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

More on the Rebates

Becoming more energy efficient is a great way to lessen your home’s impact on the environment, save money, and to reduce the need for new power plants or transmission lines in the future.

Boxer-Kerry Climate Bill Improves on House Version, but Consumer Rebates Are Needed and Nuclear Subsidies Must Go

CCAN congratulates Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John Kerry (D-MA) for their work to curb global warming emissions and shift to a clean energy economy. It is absolutely critical that the United States take action to show its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December. The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, introduced September 30th, would put the U.S. on the right path, although it doesn’t go far enough.

Boxer-Kerry Climate Bill Improves on House Version, but Consumer Rebates Are Needed and Nuclear Subsidies Must Go
 
Statement on the
“Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act”

Statement of Mike Tidwell, Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network

October 1st, 2009

“CCAN congratulates Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John Kerry (D-MA) for their work to curb global warming emissions and shift to a clean energy economy. It is absolutely critical that the United States take action to show its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December. The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, introduced September 30th, would put the U.S. on the right path, although it doesn’t go far enough.

“The bill is an improvement over the House-passed American Clean Energy and Security Act for two main reasons: there is a 3% increase, from 17 to 20%, in the 2020 target for emissions reductions and, more significantly, it upholds the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate global warming pollution from coal plants and other stationary sources of emissions.

“However, there are a number of areas that need strengthening or clarification when the bill is marked up (amended) by the full Environmental and Public Works committee:

“It is unclear how many of the permits to emit pollution will be auctioned and how much of the revenue raised will be returned to consumers a direct way to help offset higher energy bills during the transition to a clean energy economy. (CCAN continues to believe a “cap and dividend” approach would be far superior in this regard than the “cap and trade” approach passed by the House). Over the summer over 1,000 hand-written letters were sent to Maryland Senator Ben Cardin urging him to include strong protections for consumers. CCAN looks forward to Cardin’s continued leadership on this issue as the bill is marked up in committee.

“While the targets are stronger, the Senate bill falls short of what scientists say is necessary to avert catastrophic climate impacts: a 25-40% reduction in emissions below 1990 levels by 2020. And allowing for 2 billion tons of ‘offsets’ each year (equal to 27% of the U.S.’s total annual emissions) could mean that there will be very little actual reductions of emissions by polluting plants in the U.S. for a decade and a half.

“The Senate bill also differs from the House version in that it subsidizes expensive and unsafe nuclear energy. The Chesapeake Bay region has abundant renewable energy sources, including a huge potential for offshore wind. Investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency is a safer, faster and less expensive alternative to nukes.

“Finally, the Senate bill allows for new coal plants to be built from now until 2025 without any need to sequester carbon until as late as 2027.

“As we did for the House bill, CCAN will work actively to oppose efforts to weaken this bill and will support efforts to strengthen it.”

Wise County Plant Isn't Necessary: Richmond Times Dispatch LTE

This LTE was published in the Richmond Times Dispatch

Wise County Plant Isn’t Necessary

Editor, Times-Dispatch: Although the news article, “New Permit for Coal-Fired Power Plant Pleases Both Sides,” quotes Dominion Virginia Power as claiming that the Wise County coal plant is vital to meeting Virginia’s future energy needs, the opposite is true.

An independent study found that Virginia can keep energy use flat over the next 15 years simply by investing in cost-effective and existing energy-efficiency technologies. We can avoid constructing any new generation facilities just by weatherizing homes, upgrading heating and cooling systems in office buildings, and updating lighting in factories. These same technologies would bring 10,000 new jobs to the commonwealth, while the costs associated with the coal plant would actually force the Virginia economy to contract by move than 1,400 jobs (a conservative estimate given pending climate legislation).

Dominion’s claim that its coal plant will help the economic wellbeing of Southwest Virginia also misses the mark. Our reliance on coal allows for the devastating practice of mountaintop removal coal mining, which is ravaging Southwest Virginia. Tops are ripped off mountains, streams are blocked by waste, and then the coal is transported out of the community, suffocating people with the toxic dust that blows off coal trucks.

The alternatives to coal are real. The new energy future broke ground in Virginia last month when construction began on our very first wind farm in Highland County. This project makes Virginia a leader in the region and marks the beginning of a bright future for the commonwealth. Virginia has incredible renewable energy potential — our offshore wind potential is the highest in the South. When coupled with efficiency improvements, it is clear that coal plants could be a thing of the past.

Lauren Glickman, Virginia Campaign Coordinator, Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Coal Country showing in Blacksburg

Thursday night, Coal Country has a showing in Blacksburg at the Lyric Theater, a not-for-profit movie theater and community center in downtown Blacksburg. It was a great setting for a showing of this movie that take a look at modern coal mining. Lauren posted the trailer to Coal Country below and I recommend looking to see if there is a showing near you. The producers, Mari-Lynn Evans and Phylis Geller, let the residents tell their stories. They interview miners and those who work for the mining companies who talk about how coal puts food on their table, but they also talk to former miners who have health problems, people from mining families who are now working to end mountain top removal and to end the destructive extraction of coal from the mountains of Appalachia.

Before the film, Diana Jones sang original work and old miner songs. Her powerful voice and evocative songs set the mood for the film as her love of those mountains was evident. Kathy Selvage, the daughter of a coal miner and a dedicated activist, greeted us and told us some of her story. Kathy was one of the people profiled in the movie and will be traveling to many of the showings scheduled. Local nonprofits and student groups set up tables to give moviegoers opportunities to get involved. A group of Virginia Tech students from “Virginia Tech Beyond Coal” talked about their vision for moving the university past its current use of coal to being a leader in clean energy technology.

I’ve been involved in climate change work for over five years now and the postive vision of what we’re working to create gives me the inspiration to believe we’re going to get there, but there are times when I am reminded of what we’re really working to stop. The images of mountaintop removal and of the fallacy of ‘reclaiming’ MTR sites are images I have seen before but to see them in moving picture while hearing stories from those in coal country, was absolutely heartbreaking. Seeing the destruction isn’t enough to convience everyone that mountain top removal should end, but I have no doubt this film will convience many. Find a showing near you here.