WVEC Action AlertMay 22, 2006Below:
Meeting to oppose a Co-Generation Coal Fired Power Plant in Greenbrier Co. A meeting to oppose a Co-Generation Coal Fired Power Plant in Greenbrier Co. is scheduled for Thursday, May 25th, 5:30PM at Bill Turner's home, 203 Church St, Lewisburg WV. This is not a new threat, but a sudden need in an ongoing process. A final Air Pollution Permit for the Western Greenbrier Co-Generation power plant was issued by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection in April. This permit allows the facility to emit:
The Sierra Club plans to appeal the issuance of this air pollution permit by WV-DEP, and the Appalachian Center has agreed to be our lawyer. Our most immediate need is to raise funds for legal expenses such as expert witness fees, documents, and organizations are more inclined to commit funds when there is support from the local community that will be most affected. Contributions can be mailed to the West Virginia Sierra Club, PO Box 4142, Morgantown, WV 26504 or the Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Environment, PO Box 507, Lewisburg, WV 24901 (include a note saying what it is for). Please join us in helping protect air quality and our health in the Greenbrier Valley. To find out more contact Jim Kotcon, 594-3322 or Beth Little, 653-4277. Action needed to nominate Blair Mountain as a Historical Landmark Susan Pierce at State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) again needs some encouragement to do the right thing. As you may recall, the original nomination package was returned by the National Park Service and they were asking for some more information from us and some clarifications from Susan. We returned the Blair Mt. nomination resubmission material to SHPO on 3 April and it has not been sent to the National Park Service yet. It is a greatly expanded package with a powerful historical narrative, an addenedum on archaeology and two new maps. The package represents hours of labor contributed by our supporters and volunteers. I fear Susan may be waiting and hoping the proposed settlement of the Logan lawsuit will make it a moot question and relieve her of the obligation to supply the information Park Service requested of her. Please call her and urge her to do the right thing for the people of WV. See the forwarded E-Mail below for some ideas for your call or e-mail. Please call or E-Mail Susan at 558-0240, Ext. 158, or susan.pierce@wvculture.org. Thank you for your support in getting us past this hurdle. Please contact me if you have questions and please DO circulate this request to our friends and supporters. Regina Hendrix Talking points: Dear Susan: No one doubts the historical significance of the Battle of Blair Mountain and its place among the most important labor history events in West Virginia, if not the nation. Today the site is only marked by a historical maker and much of the historic land has still been unexamined by scholars. The history has captured the imagination of history enthusiasts nationwide. Now the potential exists to preserve this site for the people of West Virginia and all labor history lovers on the national scene. Please forward the resubmission material which you received on April 3rd from Friends of the Mountains and supply the information requested by National Park Service as soon as possible. The preservation of the Blair Mt. battlesite would be a blessing for tourism in Logan County, and in fact all of So. WV. The recent designation of Rt. 17 as a Scenic Byway and the preservation of the jail in Charles Town point the way for us to preserve our history and honor our heritage. Note: I've included the information below, in case anyone wants to go further and write a support letter to our representatives on the national scene. I'd appreciate having a copy of any support letters for my Blair files (regina1936@verizon.net) The battle of Blair Mountain is one of the most significant historical events in West Virginia. We have always treated our battlefields with respect. The battle of Blair Mountain was the first time that airplanes were deployed in an industrial dispute. There is currently a lack of recreational land in Logan County. Historic preservation would supplement Chief Logan State Park. Historical preservation listing would complement the designation of Route 17 as a Scenic Bway and will enhance tourism in an impoverished area of our state. The efforts of the Jefferson County Preservation Alliance to Save Our Heritage (JCPASH) to preserve the site of the treason trials at the Jefferson County Courthouse have been successful and they are planning a Museum with information on the Battle of Blair Mountain. Preservation of the battleground completes the honoring of this event. The Battle of Blair Mountain has had a lasting impact on the lives of many residents, not only in Logan County, but throughout the entire state of West Virginia and surrounding states. Listing as an historical landmark will provide permanent protection for a labor history site with state and national significance. ADDRESSES FOR FURTHER LETTERS OF SUPPORT:
Call Your Senator in Support of the Clean EDGE Act of 2006 Please take a moment to call your senator at (202) 224-3121 [the Senate Switchboard] to advocate your support for the Clean EDGE Act of 2006 on behalf of the Apollo Alliance. Below you will find some helpful facts about what the Clean EDGE Act proposes to accomplish. The Senate Proposes an Ambitious Plan for Energy Independence Today, Senate Democrats unveiled the Clean EDGE Act of 2006, a broad framework for energy independence and development of the domestic clean energy industry, and proposed to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 40%. Key provisions in the bill would create good jobs, control gas prices, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and help curb global warming pollution. Jerome Ringo, president of the Apollo Alliance said that today's proposal sets a high standard and evokes the "same 'can do' spirit that inspired the original Apollo Program to send a man to the moon." The new legislation would also establish a nationwide renewable power standard while creating a new Clean Energy Investment Administration. Modeled on the Small Business Administration, the new agency would channel billions in federal loan guarantees to renewable power infrastructure and related manufacturing. Both Labor and Environmental Allies praise Clean EDGE Act of 2006United Auto Workers President, Ron Gettelfinger said, "the UAW believes that these provisions in the Clean EDGE initiative would help to ensure that the United States retains a robust domestic auto industry that provides good paying jobs for American workers, while producing the cars and trucks of the future for consumers. In addition, these provisions would set our country on a path towards a cleaner environment and greater energy security." Leo Gerard, President of the United Steelworkers said, "the Republican Congress has been sitting on its hands as energy prices devastate commercial and residential consumers all across this country. This legislation provides the framework for an energy policy that responds to the real concerns of companies and their workers – how we will have safe, secure and affordable energy supplies in the future and how we can put Americans to work putting those policies in place." Furthermore, the National Resources Defense Council applauded the plan because it "recognizes that a clean path is the best way to end America's oil addiction." Call Your Senator in Support of the Clean EDGE Act of 2006Please take a moment to call your senator at (202) 224-3121 [the Senate Switchboard] to advocate your support for the Clean EDGE Act of 2006 on behalf of the Apollo Alliance. Below you will find some helpful facts about what the Clean EDGE Act proposes to accomplish. Facts about the Clean EDGE Act of 2006
Sincerely, Jerome Ringo, President Please thank yourselves and others around the country for the citizen action that helped make THIS happen. On May 18th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed six out of six pro-environment votes!
These victories demonstrate the power of citizens to convince their elected representatives to act in the interest of public health and the environment now and in the future - instead of catering to the oil and gas industry and other polluting industries. (It may also illustrate how politicians curry favor with voters in an election year.) In any event, please stay in touch with WVEC. Let us know what's happening in your neck o' the woods. And spread the word. As Jim Kotcon says: "Endless pressure...endlessly applied".
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