Hundreds of Texans Faced off Second Wave of Texas Coal Rush at Halloween events

by: Texas Sierra Club

Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 01:02 PM CST

There were 200 people in Dallas including speakers -- Representatives Carol Kent, Lon Burnam, Robert Mikloss, and Dallas Council Member Linda Koop.

There were 200 also in Austin including MC Ian Davis and speakers Representative Eddie Rodriguez, Austin Council Member and bike advocate Chris Riley (He stood up for the City's Climate Protection Agreement) and Dr. Kimberly Carter of Austin Physicians for Social Responsibility (She really nailed the seriously SCARY part of the Halloween message about Texas coal pollution).  

100 oeople came out in the sparking city by the sea, Corpus Christi where their Clean Economy Coalition is in a contested case hearing this week along with Sierra Club over the proposed and quaintly named Las Brisas, 'the Breezes' coke plant.  Corpus speakers included two physicians -- a family practioner from Aransas Pass, Dr. Lorraine Stehn, pediatrician Dr. Kevin Hopkings, Stacy Barrera, President of the TAMU-CC Young Democrats, former REpresentative Arnold Gonzales and Hal Suter of the Sierra Club.  

There was also 50 people rolling beyond coal in Beaumont and 35 in Alpine, Texas.
Calmly scared half to death about rising coal costs, health and environmental impacts of 12 new Texas coal plants http://www.texas.sierraclub.or... , they are taking action to stop the second wave of the Texas coal rush and promoting instead clean air, clean power, green jobs, and the availability of water in the future.

Coal Plant Pollution means Attainment of Federal Air Quality Standards Shot to Hell

"These 12 new coal plants are a significant jump to the 17 operating coal plants we already have in Texas," said Rita Beving with Dallas Sierra Club.  "Whether it's the nearby plants being built east of Waco or the one proposed as far away as Abilene, the wind carries coal plant pollution north to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and will only exacerbate our ability to reach attainment."

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is currently in non-attainment of required federal clean air standards, as is Houston and the Beaumont-Port Arthur area.   Austin, San Antonio and the north east Texas area have early action compacts and are near non-attainment.  New federal air quality standards coming this Fall (70 ppb)will mean that several additional regions of Texas will go into non-attainment.

Many states around the nation have dropped plans for coal plants, letting Texas run far ahead in a horrible lonely lead in the opposition direction.  With Michigan trailing at only 4 proposed new coal plants, Texas has the largest number still moving in various stages of permitting  - contested case hearings, appeal, and construction.  With the grotesque rate of acceptance of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), a whole army of new coal plants could go online next year emitting their enormous tonnage of pollution as they rev up to a full-throttled, smog-spewing, global warming, lung-clogging, nerve-shattering, mind-numbing, and heart-stopping blast of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, mercury, and carbon dioxide.  See the fact sheet list of the proposed coal plants in Texas and the gory truth on their cumulative emissions numbers.

Human Health Impacts http://www.texas.sierraclub.org/press/newsreleases/HealthImpactsfromTexasCoalPlantPollution.pdf
Corpus Christi cardiologist, Dr. Greg Silverstein said, "In Corpus Christi, we already experience twice as much asthma as the state average. If the Las Brisas petcoke plant is allowed to go forward with the huge annual emissions of smog and smoke in their permit application, we
will see a significant increase of even more asthma in Corpus Christi and the surrounding towns.  I am concerned about my patients and all the people of Corpus Christi."

Coke is regulated similarly to coal and it emits the same nasty pollutants.  See just what effects coal and coke plants have on human physiology in the attached Fact Sheet.

Coastal Bend doctors of the Nueces County Medical Society and the Tri-County San Patricio-Aransas-Refugio Medical Society passed resolutions opposing the permitting of the hilariously-named Las Brisas (the Breezes) coke plant.   Corpus Christi citizens from all walks of life united across class, Hispanic and Anglos, men, women, children, and the elderly crowded into a room that couldn't contain their opposition at last February's preliminary hearing in which a large number of individuals and organizations including the Clean Economy Coalition and the Sierra Club received 'standing' for a contested case hearing which began today, Monday, November 2.  

Clean Energy Solutions and Green Jobs on the brighter side of the Dark Ages

"There are many reasons to oppose coal plants - they cost too much, make people sick, contribute to global warming, and use enormous amounts of water," said Eva Hernandez, Regional Organizer for Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign. "Another reason is that they are a huge dangerous diversion from the clean power and green jobs economy that Texas is so perfectly suited for and already leading."

Roll Beyond Coal is a project of Sierra Club's Climate Recovery Partnership and the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club.  In Texas, Sierra Club is fighting to stop new coal plants and clean up and phase out old coal plants. Sierra Club's environmental partners include our 14 Regional Sierra Club groups, lawyers on the Texas contested case hearings the Environmental Integrity Project, running buddies Sierra Student Coalition, Public Citizen, and a cast of dozens of awesome Texas organizations.

Slide show with photos from all rallies coming soon!  Stay tuned to Lone Star Chapter of Sierra Club on Burnt Orange Report!

Hutchison Takes Head-in-the-Hot-Sand Approach to Climate Bill

by: Citizen Andy

Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 00:55 PM CDT

Senator Hutchison (who you might have heard is running for governor), published an op-ed last week in a couple of Texas papers about how the ACES Bill would cripple Texas.  We've pushed back, and actually got something printed in one of those old-timey-newspaper thingies in one of the papers that ran her op-ed, the Round Rock Leader.  (I know, quaint-- right? newspapers?  Who reads those anymore?  < end sarcasm>)

Have a read here  for the whole thing, or if you're in North Austin or WillCo, go pick up a Round Rock Leader.  I've posted an except below:

United States Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison takes a head-in-the-hot-sand approach to climate change that will get Texas burned and drive tens of thousands of new jobs elsewhere ("Cap and Trade is No Good For Texas," Aug. 27 Leader). She misses the mark on energy policy, using discredited industry statistics to drum up fear about a Cap and Trade policy that represents just a small portion of the initiatives proposed in the energy bill that passed the House of Representatives in July.

She fails to acknowledge that the bill includes provisions for renewable energy and energy efficiency - the real solutions to climate change. Hutchison's solution is no solution at all: more oil, more coal and more nuclear, with absolutely no coherent policy on how to lower energy costs and find alternatives to dwindling resources.

America is faced with the worst economic crisis in generations, Sen. Hutchison is turning away opportunities to create new jobs while slavishly clinging to the talking points of the oil industry.

Energy Action - The Truth for Everyone

by: Austin MoveOn

Mon Jul 20, 2009 at 00:15 PM CDT

When:  5:30 to about 7:00 PM

Who:  MoveOn members and any like-minded individuals who are tired of the same tripe from conservative talking heads and their supportive media.  Kids are welcome!  This is a great opportunity to show them what activism really means.

Agenda:  we will be gathering near Senator Cornyn's office, using the intersection of two one-way streets and a busy sidewalk at getting-out-of-work time to educate the public on the myths being propagated by those opposed to a green energy economy.  We will have several visuals to include large signs depicting 100 new coal-fired energy generation plants allowed by the recently-passed American Clean Air and Security (ACES) Act.  It  passed the House by a vote of 219 to 212, but was so watered down by both Democratic and Republican Congressmen, that it barely defends our environment and hardly makes a dent into the joblessness in Texas and the country.

One particularly onerous provision is that this bill allows the construction of up to 100 new coal-fired energy plants in the future.  There is no such thing as "clean coal," and these plants will only contribute to the environmental mess we are presently in.

You can also help by handing out our recently-developed informational flyers to passersby and motorists.  These flyers take the more in-your-face, false statements that attempt to convince people that a green energy economy is too costly and counter-productive for our country and present the truth from past studies and scientists and economists about what the real effect will be if we don't do anything.  

Please join us.  We are inviting the press to a release of this document and want Austin to understand the stakes in not doing anything.  We can't allow Texas' and our country's economy and environmental future to be determined by Big oil, Dirty coal and the Senators and Representatives they buy with their political contributions.

Please sign up using the following link:

http://pol.moveon.org/event/ev...

Thanks so much for your support, and we'll see you out on Thursday.

Bill Hamm
Austin MoveOn Council Coordinator

Joe Barton and Pete Sessions Cap and Trade Scare Tactics

by: TexasCowboy

Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 09:14 PM CDT

Texas U.S. Representatives Joe Barton and Pete Sessions continue their lying campaign about the "Cap and Trade" legislation by claiming that President Obama's proposal to curb greenhouse gas emissions would cost households as much as $3,100 per year. Their 'Party of No' says it is a "massive national energy tax." However Texans and Americans need to know the $3,100 figure they keep lying about is a complete misrepresentation of both President Obama's proposal and the studies from which the number is derived.

An EPA analysis (Environmental Protection Agency) of the draft version found that the 'cap & trade' policy has a relatively modest impact on U.S. consumers assuming the bulk of revenues from the plan are returned to American households. "The EPA estimates the average cost per household to only be between $98 and $140 per year.  

Texas Delegation provides key swing votes on ACESA Climate Bill

by: Citizen Andy

Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 07:24 PM CDT

The US House of Representatives passed HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, sometimes referred to as the Waxman-Markey Bill, or ACES, by a vote of 219-212.  A majority in the House of Representatives in 218 votes.

While I wish I could say this vote went along party lines, it did not.   8 Republicans (none from Texas) voted for the bill, while an amazing 44 Democrats voted against President Obama, the environment, and green jobs (including three from Texas). 

These Dems should be whipped and whipped hard.  The consensus in the enviro community was that this bill was watered down and wouldn't meet the promise of a truly great energy and climate bill. But it would be the best we could get.  The closeness of the vote shows that every compromise literally had to be made to get any climate bill passed.

As for our Texas delegation, we have good news and bad news. (more after bump)

Alert from Texas Climate Emergency Campaign

by: ginntonic

Thu Jun 11, 2009 at 09:22 AM CDT

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Texas Climate Emergency Campaign Newsletter
Urgent calls needed!
June 10th, 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Please Forward To Groups & Individuals!

All Texas Congressional telephone numbers are at the end.

We are entering the final weeks of our campaign to provide security for future generations by avoiding the worst of coming climate chaos. House Speaker Pelosi has said that all the committees have to finish their work by Friday, June 19th, and on the week of June 22nd the Waxman-Markey (American Clean Energy and Security Act) (H.R. 2454) bill will go to the House for a vote.

However, the bill has been significantly weakened since it was first introduced in March. You can help make sure that the first climate bill to move through the House of Representatives actually takes meaningful steps to curb climate change. As written, the Waxman-Markey bill  includes compromises that threaten to undermine the primary goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Waxman-Markey helps coal and oil industries instead of protecting consumers and the environment. Lawmakers have conducted closed-door negotiations with polluters, resulting in a bill that accommodates the financial interests of big energy corporations while squandering an opportunity to curb the coming climate chaos and doing little to help working families. Texas Climate Emergency Campaign is working with 1Sky, Friends of the Earth, Move On, Public Citizen, Greenpeace, and other groups in trying to strengthen this bill. Please ask your representative (numbers below) to work to improve the bill in three key ways:

1. Hold Polluters Accountable: By eliminating provisions that allow polluters to continue polluting at current levels for over a decade & by restoring authority to the EPA to mandate cleaner technology for power plants.

2. Ensure More Clean Energy for America: By increasing the renewable energy and energy efficiency standards. Require power companies to produce more clean energy than currently mandated. Wind and solar create more than twice as many jobs as coal and oil.

3. Create More Clean Energy Jobs for America: Limit giveaways to polluting industries, like Big Oil and Dirty Coal, and instead bolster green job development and protection of vulnerable communities.  

                                            LOCAL              Washington D.C.

Henry Cuellar                             956.725.0639          202.225.1640                    
Chet Edwards                             254.752.9600          202.225.6105
Charlie Gonzalez                         210.472.6195          202.225.3236
Al Green                                 713.383.9234          202.225.7508
Gene Green                               281.999.5879          202.225.1688
Ruben Hinojosa                           956.682.5545          202.225.2531
Eddie Bernice Johnson                    214.922.8885          202.225.8885
Sheila Jackson Lee                       713.655.0050          202.225.3816
Solomon Oritz                            361.883.5868          202.225.7742
Silvestre Reyes                          915.434.4400          202.225.4831
Ciro Rodriguez                           210.922.1874          202.225.4511

Thanks!
The Climate Emergency Team

Republican Plan on Energy and Environment

by: ProgressiveInTexas

Mon Apr 20, 2009 at 01:34 PM CDT

Congressman Doggett introduces Climate MATTERS Act

by: Citizen Andy

Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 05:18 PM CDT

Most of the bill sounds legitimate, including a strong 80% in CO2 emissions by 2050, science-based review of progress, auctioning of carbon credits and returning the money to the people and investments in efficiency and renewable energy.  It also includes a provision to enact a carbon tariff on any country who does not join the next UN sponsored follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol, due to expire next year.

Full review of Doggett's bill, along with his press release and remarks after the bump.  Please also vote in the poll if you favor action on global warming.

"this post does not reflect the views of anyone or any other organization other than Citizen Andy, and even then not all the time."

RNC Candidate: "Global Warming is a Hoax"

by: David Mauro

Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 07:32 PM CDT

Those aren't the words of some crazy person off the street. They are the words of Cathie Adams, the president of the well-known conservative group Texas Eagle Forum, who is running for an open spot on the Republican National Committee.

From Texas Politics: 

"Global warming is a hoax," Cathie Adams told the Texas GOP Convention as she campaigned for an open slot on the Republican National Committee.

She said debate about energy use and climate change should be "about the economy, not about the environment."

I would hope that even Texas Republicans would reject views like this, but I certainly won't hold my breath.

The World is Changing

by: Robin Cravey

Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 09:48 AM CST

There's an article in the latest Scientific American that suggests that the Antarctic ice sheet could be unstable, threatening to raise sea level worldwide.

It has been known for a while that if the ice sheet melted, it would raise sea level by 200 feet or more. But scientists have predicted that it would take decades or centuries for all that ice to melt. Now, it seems that the ice could simply slide off.

• The land-based ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica hold enough water to raise global sea level by more than 200 feet.
• A complex "plumbing system" of rivers, lakes and meltwater lies under the ice sheets. That water "greases" the flow of vast streams of ice toward the ocean.
• For millennia, the out going discharge of ice has been balanced by incoming snowfall. But when warming air or surface meltwater further greases the flow or removes its natural impediments, huge quantities of ice lurch seaward.

The rise in sea level that could occur if the ice sheets slide into the sea would create the greatest refugee migration in history. It would make the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina look like a picnic. This is a worldwide emergency, and we in Austin must spare no effort to reduce our impact on the climate.

(crossposted at www.robincravey.com)