Fwd: UPDATE: Sierra Club No New Coal Campaign
Mark B
From: Joshua Jones <jo...@greencorps.org>
Date: Tue, Feb 26, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Subject: UPDATE: Sierra Club No New Coal Campaign
To: lazyac...@gmail.com
Hi Mark,
Did you hear Sierra Club's Mark Kresowik on Iowa Public Radio's 'Talk @ 12' yesterday debating a coal industry public relations guy over the proposed coal plants in Waterloo and Marshalltown? It's an interesting, and informative 30 minutes, plus I think Mark kicked his butt.
Download the mp3 here: http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kuni/local-kuni-679776.mp3
On Tuesday March 18th Iowa Sierra Club is holding a major press conference and rally at the Capitol where we'll urge Gov. Culver to place a moratorium on the permitting of coal plants in Iowa. It will be a very exciting event and will help strengthen and advance our message that new coal plants are bad for Iowans.
We're busing in groups of people to the Capitol from Iowa City to Waterloo, we're having coal opponent leaders from Waterloo and Marshalltown speak, and we'll hand deliver the hundreds of 'No New Coal Letters' addressed for Governor Culver. Please let me know if you are interested in attending the event and/or helping organize around it.
Mark, I don't have a letter to Governor Culver from you yet,
Can you help contribute to the rally at the Capitol by writing your 'No New Coal Letter' to Governor Culver this week?
It's really easy, and I've included a few sample letters below. While I recommend you personalize the letter with reasons why you oppose the coal plants, if you are just too busy it's ok to simply copy/paste the sample below into a new document and then fill in your name, address, and city/state information into the sample below. Work your magic and get three friends or family members to write a letter too! Please email me your letters when you are finished. Thanks.
Governor Chet Culver
State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
Dear Governor Culver,
I am writing you to express my opposition to the proposed coal-fired power plants in Marshalltown and Waterloo. I am urging you to place a temporary stay on the permitting of coal-fired power plants in the state of Iowa.
There are many reasons to be concerned about our continuing over-dependence on coal-fired power plants: they pollute air and water, contribute to global climate change and divert dollars that could be spent in energy efficiencies and renewables. These real and formidable costs are too high a price to ask Iowans to pay.
In a statement made by you on April 27, 2007 you stated that "any and all steps" should be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb global warming. It would be a prudent step to place a moratorium on all coal-powered plants in Iowa as a necessary step toward fulfilling this goal.
I believe that every dollar invested in coal is a missed opportunity to invest in energy efficiency and renewables here in Iowa.
Renewable energy generates 40% more jobs per dollar invested than coal and the cost of meeting our energy needs through efficiency is as little as half the cost of new coal-fired power plants.
When coal is burned at power plants, it releases mercury and fine particulate matter pollution so detrimental to our health that the Black Hawk and Johnson County Health Boards recently endorsed a temporary stay on new coal plants.
This is a very real concern of mine. I'm not alone. In talking to family and friends about this issue, I am hearing the same opposition from them as well. As the governor of this state, you can take steps to address this problem. I urge you to place a temporary stay on all new coal-fired power plants.
Sincerely,
[name]
[address]
[city, state, zip]
Thanks so much for your continued support, let's win this one.
Josh Jones
Conservation Organizer, Sierra Club
515-331-2403 - office
417-894-6442 - cell
515-331-0225 - fax