Key Hearing on Surry Coal Plant on Mon., Nov. 23!

by: Eileen

Tue Nov 17, 2009 at 11:07:05 AM EST

The proposed plant, located only a few miles from one of the Commonwealth's greatest treasures, the Chesapeake Bay, would poison surrounding waterways with 116 pounds of mercury per year. The plant would create nearly 60 tons of poisonous coal ash a day, to be stored in Surry County, and would increase the demand for coal extracted using mountaintop removal mining. In addition, it would add nearly 15 million tons of global warming pollution to our air every year.

Please plan to attend this critical meeting on Monday, Nov. 23 starting at 7:00pm at the Surry County Government Center, 45 School St. in Surry, VA. Visit the Wise Energy for Virginia site for more information.  

Truth in Cartoons: Today's Virginian-Pilot Editorial Cartoon

by: Eileen

Wed Jun 17, 2009 at 09:29:00 AM EDT

Quick Questions: Who is your Utility? And Where is Dendron VA?

by: Eileen

Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 07:48:45 AM EST

Whoever pays the electric bill in your house knows the answer to this question.  Who is your utility?  

Depending on where you live in Virginia you may be a customer of one of the nine Electric Coops in Virginia that collectively want to build a new coal plant in Surry County. Please let us know if you are customer of any of the following Electric Coops. E-mail stopsurrycoalplant@gmail.com, letting us know who you are and which Coop you belong to.  

BARC Electric Cooperative:
• Serving Bath, Alleghany and Rockbridge Counties

Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative:
• Serving Augusta, Rockingham, and Shenandoah Counties

Rappahannock Electric Cooperative:
• Serving Albemarle, Caroline, Culpeper, Essex, Fauquier, Goochland, Greene, Hanover, King & Queen, King William, Louisa, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Town of Bowling Green

Northern Neck Electric Cooperative:
• Serving King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, Stafford, and Westmoreland

Southside Electric Cooperative:  **LARGEST CO-OP in VA**
• Serving Amelia, Appomattox, Bedford, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George and Sussex counties, and the towns of Altavista, Blackstone, Crewe, Hurt, Kenbridge and South Hill; plus the City of Petersburg

Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative:
• Serving Brunswick, Mecklenburg, Charlotte, Pittsylvania, Greensville, Southampton, Halifax, Sussex, Lunenburg

Prince George Electric Cooperative:
• Serving Dinwiddie, Isle of Wight, Prince George, Southampton, Surry, Sussex Counties

Community Electric Cooperative:
• Serving City of Suffolk, Isle of Wight and Southampton Counties, along with portions of Sussex and Surry Counties

ANEC:
• Serving Accomack and Northampton on Virginia's Eastern Shore

Also heads up... MEETING NOTICE: ODEC will be holding a Public Forum meeting on the proposed Surry coal plant (aka "Cypress Creek Power Station") on Thurs., Feb. 26, 6:30-8:30 pm, at the L.P. Jackson Middle School, 4255 New Design Road in Dendron, the soon to be hometown for the coal plant, and one sitting just 18 miles as the crow flies from downtown historic Williamsburg.  

Is Kaine No Longer Tilting at Windmills?

by: Eileen

Fri Feb 13, 2009 at 13:02:31 PM EST

While similar pacts have been signed with California, Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan, what makes the Virginia partnership different is the fact that the UK is the largest foreign investor to Virginia's economy, providing as many as 10,000 jobs and more than $1 billion in defense industry related goods and services to the UK.

The partnership will also hopefully teach Virginia a thing or two about going greener...

"The island nation produces more energy from offshore wind generation than any other country", writes the RTD. Their leadership in clean energy hasn't always stood true. "Once a mainstay of its energy generation, coal accounts for only 10 percent of its current energy supply."

Kaine admitted that the U.S. and Virginia had a long way to go to be as successful as the UK has been with its clean energy generation. He mentioned again that none of the 10 largest solar energy companies are in the U.S. And as we all know unfortunately all too well, clean energy bills are facing a tough time in the Virginia General Assembly, especially in Del. Jeff "Diss Darwin" Frederick's House of No.  

But there is one little glimmer of hope for Virginia. From the RTD...

In response to a question, the governor said yesterday said he had "not seen enough to make me believe" that a proposed new coal-fired plant in Surry County is necessary.

Clean energy is just that, Gov. Kaine. It's the definition of "clean" as embraced by the science now making a come-back. Please don't be afraid of it any longer!

Help Stop a Virginia Coal Plant Before It Even Starts

by: Eileen

Fri Jan 30, 2009 at 11:56:54 AM EST

ODEC's plans call for as much as 1500 megawatt capacity. Compare that to the 585 megawatt Wise County Coal Plant which will release 5.4 million tons of CO2 emissions and we're talking one helluva stinker right here in our Hampton Roads backyard! Perhaps as much as a 10 million tons a year of a stinker!

Join us (Sierra Club, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Appalachian Voices) at our first organizing meeting for the Hampton Roads area and help us plan our next steps in fighting the Surry Coal Plant.

When: Tomorrow, Saturday, January 31, 2009, 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Where:  Community Room, James City County Library, 7770 Croaker Rd. (3/4 mile on the left from exit 231-A off Interstate 64), Williamsburg, VA