Protest this giant new polluter out of Robinson Township, PA – Beech Hollow Power Plant

Passing on some information I received from MoveOn.org. This power plant is located not far from my hometown and I hope anyone who lives nearby or grew up there will protest its opening! Help us all make a difference, show some support to this rural community in Western PA.

Dear MoveOn member,

For years, Robinson Power Company has been trying to build a dirty, coal-fired power plant in Robinson Township, not far from you. If built, the Beech Hollow Power Plant would spew out smog and soot pollution, and you’d be in the high-risk zone for health effects.

Until now, local activists with groups like the Sierra Club have been able to stop this and other plants. Relying on the Clean Air Act and other protections, activists have heroically battled Robinson to keep this giant new polluter out of Robinson Township.

But now, coal industry lobbyists have forced a terrible provision into the new energy bill—it would repeal crucial sections of the Clean Air Act and remove some key remaining roadblocks to Robinson’s plant. Congress is voting next week. Can you call Rep. Altmire right away? You can say something like this: “I don’t want a new dirty coal plant in Robinson Township. Please oppose the repeal of the Clean Air Act provisions in the energy bill.” Representative Jason Altmire Phone: 202-225-2565

What does this mean in your area? If the coal industry wins, local groups may be unable to stop the Beech Hollow Power Plant in Robinson Township. The Clean Air Act provision at stake here requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set standards for global warming pollution for coal plants. Every local coal plant fight is different, but in general it’ll be much easier for coal companies and utilities to get funding to build new plants if there’s no chance the EPA will force those plants to cut their global warming pollution.

How did this happen? For years, George W. Bush refused to use the Clean Air Act to cut global warming pollution. But the Obama administration has taken the first steps toward changing that, so the coal industry is desperate to take away Obama’s authority to limit global warming pollution. We got Congress’s attention in the last two weeks with a powerful grassroots drive to fix this and other problems in the energy bill. We made thousands of phone calls, wrote letters to local newspapers, and delivered petition signatures in person to hundreds of congressional offices. But we’re not there yet. The clock is ticking down to the big vote next week, and we need to stop the repeal of this key provision in the Clean Air Act. Can you call Rep. Altmire today? Representative Jason Altmire Phone: 202-225-2565  Thanks for all you do. –Anna, Noah, Steven, Justin, and the rest of the team

~ by Aimee on June 16, 2009.